OPEC kept its modest global oil demand growth forecast at 1.14 million bpd for 2020, suggesting that the world would need 29.27 million bpd of crude from its 14 members in 2020, down 1.34 million bpd this year.
After holding stable below $65 and $60 for nearly two months respectively, Brent crude’s price jumped to $66.72 and WTI’s to $60.21 per barrel. Oil prices are higher over sharpening US crude inventories and concerns over US Gulf of Mexico production ahead of Tropical Storm Barry, as well as tensions in the Arabian Gulf after Iran’s alleged attempt to block a British-owned tanker in the Strait of Hormuz.
The Atlantic hurricane season threatened offshore oil production and began soaking Louisiana with heavy rains, leading to 15 production platforms and four rigs being evacuated in the Gulf of Mexico. So far, oil companies operating in the area have halted about 1 million barrels per day (bpd) of offshore oil output, or 53 percent of the region’s total production.
The Gulf of Mexico and the Texas coast produce about 5 percent of US natural gas and 17 percent of crude oil. Onshore facilities account for about 45 percent of US refining capacity and 51 percent of its gas processing. The Louisiana Offshore Oil Port will be closely monitoring Atlantic storm activity.
The weather has added to the headaches caused by the increasing demand for refined products while US inventories continued to recede more than expected for the fourth consecutive week. As US oil producers in the gulf cut more than half their output, commercial crude stocks fell 9.5 million barrels to 459 million barrels, a 12-week low.
Meanwhile, the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries’ (OPEC) monthly oil market report MOMR concluded that OPEC+ output cuts will not change the fundamental outlook of an already oversupplied market. OPEC kept its modest global oil demand growth forecast at 1.14 million bpd for 2020, suggesting that the world would need 29.27 million bpd of crude from its 14 members in 2020, down 1.34 million bpd this year.
The International Energy Agency’s (IEA) also suggested an oversupply forecast for 2020, with a 2.1 million bpd expansion from non-OPEC supply led by US shale producers. The IEA still sees weak oil demand growth and surging US shale oil output, estimating 2019 oil demand growth at 1.2 million bpd and 1.4 million bpd for 2020.
The EIA, in its short-term energy outlook, sees crude oil demand growing more slowly than previously expected. It forecast US oil production to average 12.36 million bpd in 2019, up about 40,000 bpd from last month’s forecast, and 13.26 million bpd in 2020.

Faisal Faeq is an energy and oil marketing adviser. He was formerly with OPEC and Saudi Aramco. Twitter:@faisalfaeq