FTC moves to reverse Chevron and Exxon board restrictions
The U.S. Federal Trade Commission has taken a step towards potentially reversing the bans that were placed by the Biden Administration on the joining of the boards at Exxon Mobil and Chevron as a condition for allowing them to acquire two other oil companies. Exxon had agreed to remove former Pioneer Natural Resources CEO Scott Sheffield from the board of its company. Chevron which purchased Hess also consented to an order that kept John Hess off the board. The FTC announced on Friday it is seeking public comments on petitions filed on behalf of Sheffield…
Officials say that Libya offers 22 areas for oil exploration with attractive terms to investors
Libya will offer investors new and attractive terms in its first bid round in over 17 years. The country's top officials in the oil sector told a Libya Bid Round Roadshow held in London on Sunday. Africa's second largest oil producer, and a member of the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries(OPEC), is looking to increase its oil production. According to the National Oil Corp. (NOC), the country's crude production is currently over 1.4m bpd. This is about 200,000 bpd below its high before civil war.
OPEC holds view that demand is not a concern, despite claims by Kazakhstan to lead the jump in OPEC+ production
OPEC announced on Wednesday that Kazakhstan was the country responsible for a significant increase in crude production in February by the wider OPEC+ group. This highlights a challenge facing the producer group to enforce adherence of agreed output targets. The Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) reported that OPEC+ - which includes OPEC, Russia, and other allies - increased its output in February by 363,000 barrels a day, to 41,01 million bpd. Kazakhstan was the leading producer.
OPEC data show that Kazakhstan was the biggest laggard of OPEC+ in February.
OPEC data on Wednesday showed that Kazakhstan contributed over half of the overall OPEC+ rise in oil production during February. However, it lags behind its pledges for reducing production. Kazakhstan consistently exceeded its production quota of 1.468 millions bpd, as per the agreement struck between the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC+) and their allies, including Russia. According to OPEC, Kazakhstan produced 1.767 millions barrels of oil per day (bpd), up from 1.570 in January.
Saudi Arabia's GDP will grow by 1.3% between 2024 and 2024
Preliminary government data released on Sunday showed that Saudi Arabia's economy will grow by 1.3% in 2024. This growth is due to increased non-oil activities and government initiatives. Data released by the General Authority for Statistics revealed that non-oil activities grew by 4.3%, government activities grew by 2.6% and oil activities decreased by 4.5%. According to government estimates, the fourth quarter GDP of the Kingdom increased by 4.5% compared to last year. Low oil prices will continue to affect government revenues…
Gunvor CEO: Global oil supply is growing faster than demand.
Gunvor's CEO, one of the largest oil traders in the world, stated on Monday that global oil supply is growing faster than demand. Last week, oil prices fell to a three-year-low due to a slowdown in demand growth in China as well as concerns over the global impact of President Donald Trump’s protectionist trade policy. "That's the issue." Tornqvist stated that the demand for diesel and gasoline has plateaued in China, which is the second-largest consumer of these fuels. In China, the rapid growth of electric vehicles has slashed gasoline demand.
Kazakhstan commits to reducing oil production after April. Russia claims OPEC+ could reverse output.
Alexander Novak, the deputy prime minister of Russia, said that the OPEC+ had agreed to increase oil production starting in April. However the group could change its mind if market imbalances occur. Officials from Kazakhstan, who have often exceeded the OPEC+ production quotas in recent years, spoke at a briefing online almost simultaneously with Novak. They pledged to reduce output in March April and May. Novak said that Russia also produced less oil than the quota agreed with the OPEC+, which includes the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) and its allies.
Libya announces the first oil exploration bid round in 17 years
Masoud Sulman, the acting chairman of the National Oil Corporation, announced on Monday that Libya will hold its first oil exploration bidding round in over 17 years. Libya is Africa’s second largest oil producer, and a member of the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries. Foreign investors are wary about investing in Libya. The country has been in chaos since Muammar Gadhafi was overthrown in 2011. Oilfields have been shut down by disputes between rival armed factions over oil revenue.
Novak: OPEC+ does not consider a delay in April's oil supply increase
RIA reported that Russian Deputy Premier Alexander Novak stated on Monday that OPEC+ producers do not plan to delay a series monthly increases in oil supplies scheduled to start in April. Bloomberg News reported Monday, citing delegates that OPEC+ (which groups the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries, Russia, and other allies) was examining if it should postpone the increase in supply, despite the calls of U.S. president Donald Trump to reduce oil prices. Three delegates from OPEC+ said that there has been no discussion about delaying the rise.
OPEC and Saudi Arabia spare oil production capacity
A U.S. official stated on Tuesday that U.S. president Donald Trump would restore his "maximum-pressure" campaign against Iran and bring its oil exports down to zero. This would increase oil prices, and force others to pump even more. Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and Iraq, along with other members of the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC), hold the majority of the world's spare production capacity. This is the idle oil that can be turned on in the event of a war or natural disaster. How much is there?
BP to invest upto $25 billion in Iraqi Kirkuk oil and Gas
A senior Iraqi official said that BP will spend up to 25 billion dollars over the life of a project redeveloping four Kirkuk oil fields and gas. Baghdad is trying to win foreign investment back. If the deal is finalized, which could happen in the next few weeks, this would be a major breakthrough for Iraq. The country's production has been severely constrained over the years by war, corruption, and sectarian tensions. It is the second largest oil producer within the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries.
Sources say that OPEC+ is unlikely to alter its output policy at the Monday meeting of the panel.
OPEC+ will not change its plans to gradually increase production when it meets Monday, delegates told the producer group. This is despite President Donald Trump's request to OPEC and Saudi Arabia, which is de facto leader, to lower prices. The top ministers of the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) and its allies, led by Russia or OPEC+ are scheduled to meet at 1300 GMT, on Monday. This is just days after Trump asked OPEC, Saudi Arabia and other oil-producing countries to pump more.
Oil prices fall as Trump reiterates his call for OPEC price cuts
Oil prices fell on Monday, after U.S. president Trump asked OPEC for a reduction in prices in response to his announcement that he would take a wide range of measures to increase U.S. oil production and gas output during his first week as president. Brent crude futures fell 53 cents or 0.68% to $77.97 per barrel at 0430 GMT, after closing up 21 cents Friday. U.S. West Texas Intermediate Crude was $74.16 per barrel, down by 50 cents or 0.67%. Trump reiterated on Friday his…
Trump calls for OPEC price reductions
The oil prices dropped more than 1% Monday, after U.S. president Trump asked OPEC for a price reduction following his announcement of sweeping measures to increase U.S. gas and oil production in his first weeks in office. Brent crude futures fell 87 cents or 1.11% to $77.63 per barrel at 0043 GMT, after closing up 21 cents Friday. U.S. West Texas Intermediate Crude was $73.77 per barrel, down by 89 cents or 1.19%. Trump reiterated on Friday his call to the Organization of…
Oil Dips on Larger US Crude Draw, Russia Sanctions
Oil prices fell back slightly on Thursday, a day after settling at multi-month highs on U.S. President Joe Biden's latest sanctions targeting Russia and a larger than forecast fall in U.S. crude stocks.Brent crude futures were down 12 cents, or 0.15%, to $81.91 per barrel at 1415 GMT, after rising 2.6% in the previous session to their highest since July 26.U.S. West Texas Intermediate crude futures were down 18 cents, or 0.22%, to $79.86 a barrel, after gaining 3.3% on Wednesday…
Oil Falls on Demand Worries, Market Awaits Fed Advice
Oil prices eased about 1% to a one-week low on Tuesday on demand worries following the release of negative economic news from Germany and China, while investors remained cautious ahead of a U.S. Federal Reserve decision on interest rates.Brent futures fell 90 cents, or 1.2%, to $73.01 a barrel by 1:36 p.m. EST (1836 GMT), while U.S. West Texas Intermediate crude slipped 86 cents, or 1.2%, to $69.85. That puts both crude benchmarks on track for their lowest closes since Dec.
IEA projects a comfortably supplied oil market by 2025 despite a demand increase
The International Energy Agency (IEA), which is a part of the OPEC+ producer group, said that there will be enough oil on the world market in 2025. This was despite OPEC+ extending its oil supply cuts, and a slightly higher demand forecast than expected. The Agency said that its current outlook indicates a 950,000 barrels a day overhang in the next year – equal to almost 1% of the world's output – despite OPEC+ extending their output cuts until April 2025. OPEC+ is made up of the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) and allies like Russia.
As tensions in the Middle East increase, demand worries are offset.
The oil prices rose on Monday, as the heightened tensions that followed the rebels' overthrow in Syria of President Bashar al Assad offset concerns about the weak Chinese demand highlighted by Saudi Aramco’s price reductions to Asian buyers. Brent crude futures increased by 22 cents or 0.3% to $71.34 a barrel at 0140 GMT. U.S. West Texas Intermediate Crude Futures rose 22 cents or 0.3% to $67.42 a barrel. Brent fell more than 2.5% and WTI dropped 1.2% last week as analysts…
Oil Slips, Weekly Loss Looms
Oil prices fell 1% on Friday and were headed for a weekly loss as analysts projected a supply surplus next year despite an OPEC+ decision to delay output hikes and extend deep production cuts to the end of 2026.Brent crude futures were down 85 cents, or 1%, to $71.24 per barrel at 11:04 a.m. EST. U.S. West Texas Intermediate crude futures CLc1 were down 92 cents, or 1%, to $67.38 per barrel.For the week, Brent was on track to fall by more than 2%, while WTI was on course for a nearly 1% drop.On Thursday…
Sechin, Rosneft CEO, says that OPEC+ cuts in output made the US the top energy exporter.
Igor Sechin, head of Russia's biggest oil producer Rosneft, said that the OPEC+'s decision to reduce oil production in 2016 and 2020 has helped the U.S. shale sector and made it a major global energy exporter. Sechin said, at a forum held in the United Arab Emirates that Russia and its partners had made the most significant contributions to stabilising the global energy markets in the last 10 years. Sechin, a long-time ally of Russian president Vladimir Putin, has expressed scepticism in the past about Russia's collaboration with OPEC.
