For over six years now, my weekly Investing.com column – over 300 and up – provided readers with analysis on what’s hot in the oil markets. Today’s article is a bit of a departure. I thought it might be helpful for readers to provide a list of some of the free resources I regularly use to track the industry, in addition to the great tools available on Investing.com.

Of course, my Thursday columns will continue to provide analysis, highlighting crucial information and explaining what that means.

1. US Energy Information Administration

The EIA website offers some of the best and most extensive data collections. The site is updated regularly with new information.

In addition, Department of Energy experts are constantly developing new tools to track energy information in the United States. Keep in mind that much of this data focuses on the United States, but it also offers global data.

Additionally, the EIA website covers all forms of energy, not just petroleum. A word of advice: the data is sometimes old, so be sure to check the date on the page to make sure you get the most recent information.

Here are some useful tools on the site:

2. Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC)

The OPEC website provides a variety of data and forecasts prepared by OPEC, which is based in Vienna.

Here are some helpful resources to find on the website:

3. International Energy Agency

The IEA recently changed its website and unfortunately it is now very difficult to navigate. It can be difficult to find the data you are looking for.

Your best option might be to do a web search and include the term “IEA” as a keyword. The IEA covers all energy, not just oil.

4. S&P Platts

Platts is a for-profit journalistic company. It regularly publishes vital data for free, but you can also buy additional data and analytics from them.

Monthly, Platts offers an OPEC and OPEC + production survey.

5. American Petroleum Institute

API is an industry trading group. I find API’s most useful free data to be the Monthly Statistical Report from API Chief Economist Dr R. Dean Foreman. It can be found here. Each month prior to this report, Dr. Foreman appears on the Energy Week podcast that I co-host, which you can find here.

The API also provides a useful industry outlook report each quarter.

6. Social media resources to follow

On social media, Twitter is the best option for following oil market data and analysis. Here are some of my favorite accounts to follow:

• @investingcom @newsinvesting
• @EnergzdEconomy (me)
• @TankerTrackers (This is a company that offers data on the movements, production and exports of tankers for a fee. They sometimes provide free information on Twitter.
• @HermsTheWord (Herman Wang is an editor at Platts. He often updates with OPEC production data)
• @ChiGrl (Tracy is a well-known commodities trader with a wide social media following and cutting edge ideas)
• @cm_energyintel (Casey Merriman is Editorial Director at Energy Intelligence, a private journalistic firm with a long history. Watch her for interesting updates and information on oil companies and stocks, including earnings calls)
• @anasalhajji (Dr Anas Alhajii is an economist with decades of experience in the energy sector. Many of his ideas are also available in Arabic but can be translated through Twitter tools)
• @EnergyLawProf (James Coleman is a law professor specializing in US and Canadian energy law and policy)
• @GasBuddyGuy (Patrick DeHaan is the head of petroleum analysis at Gas Buddy, a private company. He provides in-depth analysis, particularly on gasoline demand in the United States, gleaned from their proprietary data)
• @ aeberman12 (Art Berman is an experienced geologist in the petroleum industry who often offers a different perspective, supported by data)
• @Rory_Johnston (Rory Johnston is a former bank economist who currently writes on commodities)