Oil markets breaking out of their long-term downward trend
Despite the Omicron variant of COVID-19 hitting the world badly, the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries and its allies in the expanded OPEC+ have confirmed the scheduled output increase of 400,000 barrels per day (bpd) for February. By now, OPEC+ countries have restarted about two-thirds of the production they halted in the early stages of…
No one has a real handle on the market and its future direction
Despite the growing call for a cap on their consumption, fossil fuels are going nowhere. They will continue to drive our energy-driven civilization for the foreseeable future. Global oil demand is on the verge of reaching its pre-pandemic levels. As a result, oil markets posted their biggest gains since at least 2016 as 2021 wound…
Lack of investment in the industry could lead to an energy crisis
Led by kingpin Saudi Arabia, oil-producing nations are gaining confidence and delivering a message: the oil era is far from over. Last week, Saudi Petroleum Minister Prince Abdulaziz bin Salman warned that global oil production could drop by a massive 30 million barrels per day (bpd) by 2030. That’s around 30 per cent of the…
Major oil-consuming nations seem to have gained some leverage in a market full of uncertainties
As 2021 winds down, oil markets face uncertainties. Omicron has begun to change crude demand perceptions. Economies – especially in Europe – are beginning to stutter, and Canada is also under pressure, with increasing restrictions in place. All this will impact crude oil consumption in the months to come. There’s no unanimity among experts on…
The current European/Asian energy crisis is a preview of what we can all expect in the years ahead
Industry and environmentalists are on a clash course. The 23rd World Petroleum Congress in Houston last week was enough to highlight the emerging trends, complexities and challenges faced by the oil and gas industry. The message from the industry was clear – a global oil scarcity is on the horizon. Underinvestment since oil prices began…
In this cat and mouse game, OPEC+ had little option but to veer off the collision course
Despite bearish crude oil market signals over the last 10 days, thanks to the Omicron COVID-19 variant and the associated possibility of demand destruction, the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries and its allies in the extended OPEC+ opted to veer off a collision course with consumers. They avoided a knee-jerk reaction and decided instead to…
The dip came as a new COVID-19 strain sparked fears of renewed lockdowns and demand destruction
World crude oil markets crashed on Friday by more than 10 per cent. For the first time since late September, West Texas Intermediate, the U.S. crude, tumbled below $70 a barrel, while the global benchmark, Brent, slumped to less than $75 a barrel. This crash wasn’t anticipated. The relief didn’t just come from the co-ordinated…
U.S. "commitment" to tackle climate change crumbles in the face of climate poverty
With the possibility of co-ordinated moves by major crude-oil consuming nations, the markets took a hit last week. On Friday, oil prices were down four to six per cent. Strong demand growth and a tight leash on global supplies have driven the oil markets in recent months. New COVID-19 lockdowns in parts of the world…
Most likely course of action is a release of oil from emergency reserves
U.S. President Joe Biden must act – and act quickly – to rein in the crude oil markets. Pressure is coming from all sides, including from his Democratic Party. Last week, 11 Democratic senators, including several known for their concerns on climate change, urged Biden in a letter to act quickly. “As the United States…
It is defying oil-consuming nations to increase output, for now
A tug of war has erupted on the world oil market. Despite growing pressure from major crude-oil consuming nations, the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries and its allies in the expanded OPEC+ announced they would stick to their original plan by increasing output by only 400,000 barrels per day (bpd). OPEC+ members seemed to be…
Is Biden getting ready to cave in to Iran to help rein in oil prices?
Diplomatic pressure is mounting as the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries and allies in OPEC+ prepare to decide their next crude oil output move. Global leaders are assembling in Glasgow for the COP26 climate summit this week with considerable unease over increasing gasoline prices. The leaders seem intent on discussing ways to rein in the…
The push and pull of conflicting factions may be providing some relief to consumers
Last week ended on a calmer note for crude oil markets and major oil-producing countries. Crude oil prices fell slightly as the week ended, finally hovering a little below the recent highs. Forecasts of a warm U.S. winter put some brakes on the price rally that carried the crude markets beyond $86 a barrel early…
Movement to reduce global emissions toward net-zero is still too slow
With the United Nations climate summit in Glasgow scheduled to open on Oct. 31, global powerhouses are coming up with their annual energy outlooks earlier than the customary November. With climate issues coming to the forefront at the COP26 summit, most of these reports and analyses are meant to help world leaders make decisions. But…
Decision to open the taps and let the markets surge comes just before UN Climate Change Conference
Rapid moves with long-term ramifications are being made on the global energy chessboard. Early last week, the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries and its allies in OPEC+ opted to stick to their original plan and gradually open the crude oil taps. After their Oct. 4 ministerial meeting, OPEC+ said it had “reconfirmed the production adjustment…
A global energy crunch could help propel prices above US$100 a barrel
All eyes are focused on the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries and its allies in OPEC+ as they meet today. With crude oil prices touching US$80 a barrel and prospects of hitting US$100 this winter looming large, markets are on edge. The market trajectory is virtually impossible to delineate. A global energy crunch could help…