Crude oil inventories have fallen by almost 20% from their highs. “Geopolitical risks are clearly back on the crude oil agenda after having been absent almost entirely since the oil market ran into a surplus in the second half of 2014,” Bjarne Schieldrop, chief commodities analyst at SEB, said, also citing Kurdistan and Libya.9 million barrels.80 after hitting a May 2015 high of $67.“Falling inventories globally and strong economic growth offset the restart of the Forties pipeline and the resumption of production following a pipeline outage in Libya,” said Jeffrey Halley, senior market analyst at futures brokerage Oanda in Singapore.However, rising US production, which is on the verge of breaking through 10 million bpd, is somewhat hampering the outlook into 2018.
The 4,50,000 barrel per day (bpd) capacity Forties pipeline system in the North Sea returned to full China thread screw barrel Suppliers operations on Dec.“Growing unrest in Iran set the table for a bullish start to 2018,” the US-based Schork Report said in a note to clients on Tuesday.29 a barrel earlier in the day.end-ofTags: oil prices, crude oil.Strong demand growth, especially from China, has also been supporting crude.29 a barrel earlier in the day.Brent crude futures, the international benchmark, were also flat at around $66.Even without the unrest in Iran, which is a major oil exporter, market sentiment was bullish.40 by 1200 GMT after hitting $60.Iranian protesters attacked police stations late into the night on Monday as security forces struggled to contain the boldest challenge to the clerical leadership since unrest in 2009.Oil markets have been supported by a year of production cuts led by the Gulf-dominated Opec and Russia.
Brent crude futures, the international benchmark, were also flat at around $66.It was the first time since January 2014 that the two crude oil benchmarks opened the year above $60 per barrel.US commercial crude oil inventories have fallen by almost 20 per cent from their historic highs last March, to 431.Singapore/London: Oil prices posted their strongest opening to a year since 2014 on Tuesday, with crude rising to mid-2015 highs amid large anti-government rallies in Iran and ongoing supply cuts led by Opec and Russia.80 after hitting a May 2015 high of $67. 30 after an unplanned shutdown. The cuts started in January 2017 and are scheduled to cover all of 2018.US West Texas Intermediate crude futures traded flat at around $60.74 earlier in the day, their highest since June 2015