Market Close: Oct 20 Up
Oct 20th, 2020 by loren
A meeting on Monday of a ministerial panel of the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) and its allies, together known as OPEC+, pledged to support the oil market as concerns grow over soaring coronavirus cases. For now, OPEC+ is sticking with a deal to curb output by 7.7 million barrels per day (bpd) to the end of the year and then increase production by 2 million bpd in January. OPEC watchers, including analysts from U.S. bank J.P. Morgan, have said that a weak demand outlook could prompt OPEC+ to delay the reduction in curbs. “Demand recovery is uneven … Today this process has slowed down because of a second coronavirus wave but has not yet fully reversed,” Russian Energy Minister Alexander Novak told the JMMC meeting.
Russia could agree to roll over the cuts beyond the end of 2020 if global markets worsen, two industry sources told Reuters. OPEC member Libya, which is exempt from the cuts, is ramping up production after armed conflict shut almost all of the country’s output in January. Output from its biggest field, Sharara, resumed on Oct. 11 and is now at about 150,000 bpd, about half its capacity, two industry sources told Reuters. Another 70,000 bpd oilfield is expected to restart on Oct. 24.