By Salma El Wardany, Javier Blas, Grant Smith and Dina Khrennikova, Bloomberg
OPEC and its allies headed into a two-day meeting with ministers still seeking a compromise on proposals to delay a production boost, after failing to reach consensus in talks on Sunday night.
By Dr Neil Quilliam Associate Fellow, Middle East and North Africa Programme, Chatham House
Frustrated UAE representatives are sending subtle but strong signals that they may be the first in the OPEC+ oil producers group to break free and go it alone.
Yemeni authorities have agreed to allow a United Nations expert mission to the FSO Safer, with the expectation that this will take place early in 2021.
OPEC+ said oil producing countries must be ready to act when the group gathers for its next full ministerial meeting in two weeks, the latest indication the cartel is preparing to delay a production increase.
The OPEC+ alliance warned of a “precarious” outlook as a resurgent pandemic hurts oil demand, dropping further hints about a potential change of policy next month.
Oil was steady near $43 a barrel in London before an OPEC+ meeting to assess the state of the market as demand comes under pressure once again from a resurgent coronavirus.
Oil has climbed ahead of an OPEC+ meeting this week that will assess the group’s production cuts as the recovery from virus-driven demand destruction falters.
Oil extended losses after its biggest one-day drop in more than two months as growing doubts over the strength of the global demand recovery along with continued weakness in stocks soured market sentiment.
The Gulf is slated to earn $270 billion less in oil revenue compared to last year. This is to a large extent because the region's economic heavyweight, Saudi Arabia, has been sinking deeper into recession amid the coronavirus pandemic.
OPEC+ emphasized the need to stick closely to its planned oil-production cuts to guard against the market recovery being undermined by a resurgence of the coronavirus.
Oil markets will “barely feel” the impact of additional production by Opec and its allies as demand ramps up across the world, Saudi Arabia’s energy minister said on Wednesday.