SINGAPORE: The UAE Energy Minister Suhail Al-Mazrouei said on Friday he hopes that global supplies will start tightening in the second half of the year when demand picks up.
“We have seen healthy demand and a flattening of rig counts in the United States,” Al-Mazrouei told reporters.
“This is the beginning of the third quarter and demand picks up in the third quarter and I hope the agreement will have a significant impact in the third and fourth quarter.”
Brent crude oil prices remain just under the key $50 per barrel mark on concerns about high supplies from the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) despite a pledge to cut output in a bid to tighten the market.
OPEC, together with some non-members like Russia, has extended a deal to cut production by 1.8 million barrels per day (bpd) to March 2018.
However, OPEC’s compliance slumped to 78 percent in June as higher-than-allowed output from Algeria, Ecuador, Gabon, Iraq, the UAE and Venezuela offset strong compliance from Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Qatar and Angola, the International Energy Agency said last week.
“The UAE is committed to its cut,” Al-Mazrouei said.
“We have seen some increase in production in some of the countries that were not part of the agreement because of their special stance.”
Oil traders are looking ahead to Monday’s meeting between OPEC and non-OPEC members to see if it will address rising production from Nigeria and Libya, which have been exempted from the cuts.
OPEC’s Joint Ministerial Committee monitors compliance with the supply pact and will meet in St. Petersburg, Russia.
OPEC’s supply cuts have also been countered by rising US production, which has increased almost 12 percent since mid-2016 to 9.4 million bpd.
The number of rigs drilling for new US oil supply has also climbed since last year though the pace has slowed in recent weeks.
UAE energy minister hopes global oil supplies will begin tightening in second half
UAE energy minister hopes global oil supplies will begin tightening in second half
New Murabba seeks contractors for Mukaab Towers fit-outs: MEED
RIYADH: Saudi Arabia’s New Murabba Development Co., a wholly owned subsidiary of the Public Investment Fund, has issued a request for information to gauge the market for modular and offsite fit-out solutions for its flagship Mukaab development, MEED reported on Wednesday.
The RFI was released on Jan. 26, with submissions due by Feb. 11. NMDC has also scheduled a market engagement meeting during the first week of February to discuss potential solutions with prospective contractors.
Sources close to the project told MEED that NMDC is “seeking experienced suppliers and contractors to advise on the feasibility, constraints, and execution strategy for using non-load-bearing modular systems for the four corner towers framing the Mukaab structure.” The feedback gathered from these discussions will be incorporated into later design and procurement decisions.
The four towers — two residential (North and South) and two mixed-use (East and West) — are integral to the Mukaab’s architectural layout. Each tower is expected to rise approximately 375 meters and span over 80 stories. Key modular elements under consideration include bathroom pods, kitchen pods, dressing room modules, panelized steel partition systems, and other offsite-manufactured fit-out solutions.
Early works on the Mukaab were completed last year, with NMDC preparing to award the estimated $1 billion contract for the main raft works. This was highlighted in a presentation by NMDC’s chief project delivery officer on Sept. 9, 2025, during the Future Projects Forum in Riyadh.
Earlier this month, US-based Parsons Corp. was awarded a contract by NMDC to provide design and construction technical support. Parsons will act as the lead design consultant for infrastructure, delivering services covering public buildings, infrastructure, landscaping, and the public realm at New Murabba. The firm will also support the development of the project’s downtown experience, which spans 14 million sq. meters of residential, workplace, and entertainment space.
The Parsons contract follows NMDC’s October 2025 agreements with three other US-based engineering firms for design work across the development. New York-headquartered Kohn Pedersen Fox was appointed to lead early design for the first residential community, while Aecom and Jacobs were selected as lead design consultants for the Mukaab district.
In August 2025, NMDC signed a memorandum of understanding with Falcons Creative Group, another US-based firm, to develop the creative vision and immersive experiences for the Mukaab project. Meanwhile, Beijing-based China Harbour Engineering Co. completed the excavation works for the Mukaab, and UAE-headquartered HSSG Foundation Contracting executed the foundation works.
