Commodities
OPEC and the major highlights of the Crude Oil markets
In recent weeks, oil demand has really suffered a setback.

Published
7 months agoon

Summary of oil markets
Crude oil price movement
- In the last couple of days, one of the benchmarks of oil prices, West Texas Intermediate (WTI), has frequently been going into negative territory and on the other hand, the current pandemic has caused a decrease in demand for oil and oil products, which has been a huge blow on the global economy.
- In July, Brent crude fell 55cents or 1.2% to $43.77 a barrel. US West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude declined 56cents or 1.3% to $41.36.
- Since June 23, gasoline margins have been trending lower, after a great recovery in the last three months, as vital economies emerged from lockdown.
- All through the pandemic, diesel margins remained stable but the modest upturn has tailed off in recent weeks.
READ MORE: OPEC may soon crack, as Oil price sets for biggest quarterly rise
World economy
- The COVID-19 pandemic has spread with startling speed, infecting millions and bringing economic activity to a near-standstill as nations set tight movement restrictions to end the spread of the virus. The economic damage is conspicuous and shows the greatest collapse the world has experienced in decades.
- There will be additional issues if there is a second wave of COVID-19, mainly on the global economy. Aid could potentially fall by US$15 billion, which would be comparable to the EU closing its aid program entirely. This would imply that global economic output could reduce by 7.6% this year and only increase by 2.8% in 2021. The OECD unemployment rate is also close to doubling to 10%, with only a little amend of jobs by 2021.
World oil demand
- In recent weeks, oil demand has really suffered a setback, as the health crisis around the world has affected so many areas of the economic sectors, thus, practically putting an end to the use of fuel for shipments, transportation, and so forth. Due to the lack of consumption, the world’s biggest producers have run out of space to stockpile all of the crude oil that companies are still supplying.
- OPEC forecasts that demand for its crude oil will revitalize steadily next year, surpassing levels seen before the coronavirus pandemic, as competitor producers strive to restore production.
- The Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries forecasts demand for crude oil to rise by 25% in 2021 to an average of 8million bpd, higher than the level achieved in 2019, according to a monthly report.
- Main producers have flooded the market with millions of barrels of oil glut as a result of the collapsed deal the OPEC+ experience in March. On 12 April, the world’s main producers strategized and accomplished a deal to cut output by almost 10%. The cut has been indeed inadequate to dent the huge glut that keeps growing due to the pandemic-induced shutdown of the global economy, which has made the demand for oil to be slashed by more than 30%. What the market has been experiencing lately is indeed a massive imbalance.
- While the increase in demand is slightly determined by recuperation in global oil demand as economic growth continues, a much huge determinant is the setback of OPEC’s rivals. In the wake of declining 7.4% this year, the U.S. will see only limited production growth in 2021.
READ MORE: Crude oil prices rally higher following US $1 trillion stimulus plan
World oil supply
- For countries that are outside the OPEC+ agreement, there are massive cuts in output, especially from countries the US and Canada. With the effect of the OPEC+ agreement, it is estimated that there will be a reduction of 12million barrels a day in global oil supply, every month.
- Production is expected to increase later in July in response to recovery of global oil demand and prices. EIA expects a gradual increase in OPEC crude oil production from July through the rest of the forecast, and a rise underway to an average of 2.8million bpd during the second half of 2021.
- Oil production has been responding broadly to market forces and economic activities are beginning to experience a gradual but fragile recovery. Although, the concerns are whether governments can ease lockdown measures without a comeback or COVID-19 epidemic and if maximum level of conformity with the OPEC+ agreement will be accomplished and maintained by all the major alliances.
- EIA forecasts that for 2020 as a whole, non-OPEC production will decline by 2.2million barrels a day from 2019 levels. EIA expects the production of non-OPEC oil and other liquid fuels to increase by 1.1million bpd in 2021.
- Oil prices climbed by more than $1 a barrel to it highest in over a month. This was backed by output cuts and signs of a gradual recovery in fuel demand as more countries ease restrictions set to prevent the Coronavirus pandemic from spreading.
Product markets and refining operations
- The weight on refining margins will partially be a result of a sharp increase in oil product stocks during the pandemic’s peak. The IEA said that total products stocks rose by 58.5million barrels, or almost 2million barrels in April and by 0.3million bpd in the first quarter.
- The huge build in market levels is probably going to have been a key factor behind what the IEA called a “freefall” in refining margins in May. It forecast products stock will attract the second half of the year, as frail margins go about as a delay on refining movement.
- Globally, the IEA Forecast processing machines output to decrease by 5.4million bpd this year and afterward to increase by 5.3million in 2021. It amends upwards it’s estimated for 2020 outputs to 76.4million bpd from 75.8million bpd in it’s past monthly Oil Market report.
Crude and refined product trade
- Better than anticipated convenience Organization For Economic Co-operation and Development(OECD) countries and the gradual relaxation of lockdown estimates prompted an upward change of 3.2million barrels a day to our global 2Q20 demand number, yet it is still sharply down a year ago by 19.9million barrels a day. Although, our outlook for 2020 generally shows fall in demand of 8.6million barrels a day, 0.7million barrels a day, more than in the past report. A resurgence of Covid-19 is a significant risk factor.
- It is a familiar way of thinking that high oil prices directly and negatively sway the U.S economy and the stock market.
Balance of supply and demand
- EIA expects global oil inventories to generally draw through the end of 2021 as EIA estimates global oil demand will recover. In spite of the fact that EIA’s forecast consumption of global liquid fuels of 101.1million barrels a day, the final quarter of 2021 would still be less than during a similar time of 2019, it would be 16.7million barrels a day more than in the second quarter of 2020.
- EIA additionally expects global oil supply to rise in the coming quarters. Regardless of the purposeful production curb from OPEC+ producers, alongside the lingering impacts of low oil prices on U.S. strict oil production, will restrain increases. As a result, EIA expects global oil inventories to decrease at a rate of 1.8million barrels a day through the end of 2021, eliminating the majority of the excess that amassed in mid-2020.
Dapo-Thomas Opeoluwa is an Investment Banker and Energy analyst. He holds a degree in MSc. International Business, Banking and Finance from the University of Dundee and also holds a B.Sc in Economics from Redeemers University. As an Oil Analyst at Nairametrics, he focuses mostly on the energy sector, fundamentals for oil prices and analysis behind every market move. Opeoluwa is also experienced in the areas of politics, business consultancy, and investments. You may contact him via his email- dapothomaso[email protected]


Commodities
Oil prices soar above $70 a barrel over terrorist attacks on Saudi’s oil station
Brent crude futures were up by more than 2%, trading at $70.84 a barrel in early Asian trade, the highest since Jan. 8, 2020

Published
3 hours agoon
March 8, 2021
Oil prices jumped past the $70 a barrel price level, at the first trading session of the week for the first time since the worst pandemic in human history began, while U.S. crude touched its highest price level in more than two years, on reports of terrorist attacks on Saudi Arabia’s facilities.
At the time of writing, Brent crude futures were up by more than 2%, trading at $70.84 a barrel in early Asian trade, the highest since Jan. 8, 2020, while U.S. West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude for April surged by 2.4%, to $67.69, the highest since October 2018.
Stephen Innes, Chief Global Market Strategist at Axi, in a note to Nairametrics, gave critical insights on why oil prices are hovering high amid the terrorist attacks on OPEC’s leading oil producer’s facilities capable of squeezing supplies momentarily.
READ: How Nigeria can make more money from Oil
“Oil prices have spiked higher this morning after Iran-backed Houthi rebels unleashed a coordinated attack on Saudi Arabia’s oil facilities and military bases.
“With OPEC pursuing a tight oil policy and US shale oil inelastic supply response to higher prices, any disruption to the Middle East supply chain could shoot oil prices considerably higher.
“Indeed, this could be the flashpoint that ignites that smoldering Middle East powder keg as apparent lines in the sand got crossed when the attacks targeted civilians.”
READ: FG proposes new taxes on petroleum products, beverages, telecommunications
Bottom line: Although recent reports reveal there have been no reports of significant damage or oil supply chain disruptions, this is an evolving story that will keep oil traders on their toes thereby keeping oil prices north at least for the near term.
Commodities
Oil prices near $70 a barrel, rising for a 7th week in a row
For the week, Brent crude gained 5.2%, rising for the 7th week in a row for the first time since December,

Published
2 days agoon
March 6, 2021
Crude oil prices were all fired up at the last trading session of the week, hitting their highest levels in more than a year.
Oil prices are on yearly highs as recent data in the world’s largest economy revealed a stronger-than-expected U.S. jobs report, coupled with a decision by OPEC+ to keep the status quo.
For the week, Brent crude prices gained 5.2%, rising for the 7th week in a row for the first time since December, while WTI surged by 7.4% after gaining almost 4% last week.
At the end of the Friday trading session, Brent Crude futures gained 3.9%, to settle at $69.36 a barrel. The session high for Brent crude was its highest since January 2020.
Also, the U.S based oil contract, U.S. West Texas Intermediate futures, rallied by 3.5% to settle at $66.09 a barrel.
In an explanatory note to Nairametrics, Stephen Innes, Chief Global Market Strategist at Axi, gave key insights on OPEC+ supply dynamics at the world’s biggest commodity market.
“Saudi Arabia seems to have used its 1mb/d voluntary cut as a bargaining chip to persuade most OPEC+ members not to raise production and also appears to have reiterated the desire to see compensation cuts from OPEC+ participants who have produced above quota so far.
“Oil soared as the rest of OPEC+ holds steady at current production levels. Saudi Arabia’s output will start to phase back in from May and it seems likely increases will be permitted across the whole of OPEC+.
“Driven by a need to benefit from higher oil prices, Russia desires to raise production amid concerns about sending the wrong signal to US shale producers. At the same time, Saudi Arabia says shale is “not on the radar” as a risk.”
What to expect: Oil traders in the mid-term would place their gaze on the next meeting scheduled to hold in April, where energy prices will pose a volatility tango all over again.
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