So, it looks like the snow that was forecast for last October is finally here, as many parts of the UK woke to snow this morning (27/01/12).

It seems that the Siberian-style weather we have experienced in the last 24 hours may stick around for the whole of February, according to George Goodfellow of the Met Office, who said ‘It seems like we are edging toward a scenario where lower temperatures last for the next four weeks. It is going to be a contrast to the weather we have had this winter. Widespread frosts and snow could affect large areas.’

The snow is apparently down to a warm Atlantic weather system from the west clashing with cold air in the east.

The Met office has issued a ‘ Yellow’  warning stating, ‘Icy stretches are expected to form on untreated surfaces, especially in places affected by showers.  The showers will fall as snow above about 250 metres, but there may be temporary slush deposits to lower levels. The public should be aware of possible travel disruption.’

This will end the warmest winter for 350 years and cause domestic heating oil users to take deliveries at a time when heating oil prices are at a peak.  I’m sure I don’t have to say it but, if you wait until the bad weather is upon us, you may be disappointed.  Not just because of the price of heating oil, but also with supply problems.

It would just take Iran to do something in retaliation to the oil embargo, imposed earlier this week, to see domestic heating oil prices rocket to an all-time high, just when we need it most.

Even without blocking the Strait of Hormuz, Iran seems to have plenty of tricks up its sleeve, according to a report by Reuters news agency today (25/01/12).

It appears more likely that Iran will try a number of different techniques in order to bring pressure to bare on the EU, US and Australia, as Iran’s previous attempts to block the Straits resulted in two thirds of the Iranian navy being wiped out.

Whatever destabilising approaches they take, the signs are looking poor for any down-turn in domestic heating oil prices and road fuels.

Our spring Photographic Competition is launched and as a little incentive for you to get your best images in to us asap, here is Terry Pearson, the last competition winner with his Kindle in hand.  (“Let’s take a look at what you could of won”, as they used to say!)

Terry’s fantastic photograph of York Minster was the image the judges chose, at a very close finish.

The theme for our new competition is Flowers.  So, if you’ve ever taken a picture of a flower, flowers, or banks of them, get it in to us for your chance to win a Kindle.

Details of the competition can be found here.  If you happen to have a keen cook in the family, why not have a look at the recipe competition, too?  We hope you’ll participate and that the competitions are a welcome diversion from rising domestic heating oil prices!

EU Ministers meeting in Brussels today are to give the proposed oil embargo on Iran the thumbs up. The sanctions are intended to put a stranglehold on Iranian foreign revenue and force Iran back to the table, to discuss their ongoing nuclear program.  Foreign Secretary William Hague urged that Iran should “come to its senses” and resume negotiations.

Hague added that oil embargo was part of “peaceful and legitimate” measures and not designed to trigger conflict.

This comes after Britain, America and France sent six warships through the Straits of Hormuz, yesterday, including the USS Abraham Lincoln, a nuclear powered aircraft carrier.  Any bid by Iran to block the Strait of Hormuz at the entrance to the Gulf, through which 20 per cent of the world’s oil exports pass would be “illegal” and “unsuccessful”, Mr Hague warned.

Iran has today reiterated it’s intentions to blockade the Straits, in reaction to the embargo.

Oil prices took a leap in reaction to the news and this will surely filter through to domestic heating oil prices and petrol pumps.

In keeping with a sporadic tradition, herewith my humorous Friday afternoon blog.

Well, it seems that scientists have discovered a way to establish how long a person will live.  Scientists at Boston University claim that they can deduce someones longevity through a new blood-test, with an accuracy of up to 80%.  281 genetic varieties have been identified and through their analysis, researchers have been able to predict a lifespan of 100 years or more with a 60 – 85% accuracy.

Now this is all very well and I’m sure it will prove very useful to medical science, but there is one bit of information I thought was priceless.  Apparently…………”The test’s accuracy is reported to increase in relation to the age of the participant — the older they are, the narrower the inaccuracy rates become when predicting their potential lifespan.”

Yup, you read that right!  If you’re 90, the scientists can predict with ‘greater accuracy’ when you are going to pop your clogs, and they are a little more vague, as to the exact date that you will shuffle off this mortal coil, if you are, say, 21.  Genius.

I think I’ll wait to ’til life determines when I will push up the daisies.

Cheers.

Now the winners of our last competitions are in receipt of their Kindles, the dust has settled on the Christmas period and the final pine needles have been teased out of the carpet, with pliers, it is time to launch our new contests.

So, without further ado, here are the pages for our spring Photographic Competition and Recipe Competition.

As before, get your entries in early and ask your family and friends to vote for it.  May the best image and recipe win!

Just to cheer you all up, on top of the possibility of rising heating oil prices, it looks like we’re in for a cold snap!

One of our good clients, a ‘gritting’ company that run gritting wagons on the streets of West Yorkshire has just placed a substantial order for road fuel.  Alarm bells always ring when they do that!  Speaking to Andy, the buyer, I was informed that they are preparing for 5 days of sub-zero temperatures and readying then wagons for some hard work.

This is backed up by the BBC Weather site and the Met Office, but when these guys start to stock up, we know our drivers need to be aware of it, too.

Andy went on to say that the longer range forecast indicated a cold and possibly snowy end to January and the start of February 2012.  Just in time for the possible increases in heating oil prices due to the threatened oil embargo on Iran.  Fantastic!

If any one thing is likely to affect heating oil prices in 2012, its an oil embargo on Iran.  The EU countries were planning to hold their meeting of foreign ministers, to discuss the embargo on the 30th January, but have just announced that it has been brought forward to 23rd Jan.

The proposed embargo is over western concerns that Iran is furthering its nuclear capabilities.  The west believes that Iran aim to build atomic weapons, although Iran deny it.

Iran threatens to block the Straits of Hormuz if the embargo goes ahead.  The Straits of Hormuz sees the passage of 40% of all shipped oil and that would certainly have a huge impact on domestic heating oil prices and road fuel prices.

Concern over Iranian action has already had an effect on the heating oil market, so 23rd January is a date for all heating oil users’ diaries.

With heating oil prices at an all-time high and looking set to rise even further in 2012, a leading insurer’s recent figures seem to predict a trend for the coming year.

NFU Mutual says it has seen a 153% rise in claim costs, resulting from heating oil theft in the first half of 2011, with the value of the stolen oil amounting to around £250,000.  They warned “Unfortunately while oil prices remain high, rural homeowners will remain a target.”

Nicki Whittaker of NFU Mutual warned that “Thieves will often damage oil tanks in the process of removing the oil.” which could result in a costly clean-up exercise for the tank owner.  She went on to say that the most expensive claim was for £30,000, £3,000 of which was for the stolen oil and the other £27,000 went to clean up the ground contaminated by spilt fuel.

It is important, therefore, that if sighting a new tank, these and other considerations are taken into account.  If heating oil reaches the foundation of your house, you could also be in for a long spell away from home.

There are many steps domestic heating oil users can take to protect their fuel and deter thieves; for some useful information, take a look at one of my older posts ‘Methods of protecting your heating oil tank’.

If you’d like to know more about our emergency household insurance policy, FlowSmart, which not only covers boiler and central heating breakdown and oven failure, but also covers the oil in your tank from theft and the cost of a replacement tank, click here.

Other Tank-Locks and security products can be found here.