China Poised To Take Further Control Of Iraq's Key Southern Oil Assets
https://www.zerohedge.com/energy/china- ... oil-assets
All the big fields have been found. So, if you take the 20 largest fields in the world, 97% of the volume from those was discovered before 2000. So we're in a situation now where in a couple years' time, we're going to be very short on supply, so the situation is going to flip,"
Chronic underinvestment in the industry also means oil and other commodities are in a "supercycle," which could push crude as high as $100 a barrel, Goldman Sachs previously estimated.
The effects of OPEC cuts have been muted so far. That's partly due to booming production elsewhere, particularly in the US, which churned out a record volume of oil in 2023, with new records also being eyed for 2024 and 2025.
The premium for prompt US crude futures to the second-month contract more than doubled, hitting a high of US$1.71 a barrel – its widest in roughly four months. This encourages energy companies to sell now rather than paying to store product for future months.
China announced its biggest ever reduction in the benchmark mortgage rate, the largest since the reference rate was introduced in 2019 and far more than analysts had expected.
"The fact that the crude market hasn't responded more positively shows you the depths of the oil demand problems in China".
The IEA estimated global oil demand will grow by 1.22 million barrels per day (bpd) this year. Opec's growth forecast is 2.25 million bpd.
US oil refiners are running at weak levels due to seasonal maintenance and unplanned outages, but warmer winter weather may prompt refiners to ramp up rates.
Oil held a gain as signs of a tightening crude market countered concerns about weak demand, keeping prices in a narrow range.
American Petroleum Institute reported a big rise in US crude stockpiles.
Crude is trading near the upper band of the year’s range as investors juggle a gloomy demand outlook from top importer China with rising geopolitical risks in the Middle East and disruptions in the Red Sea.
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