Oil: an overview of the market situation

The price of oil rose slightly today, despite the presented report on oil reserves in the U.S., which have to increase . The dynamics also continues to influence geopolitical tensions in Ukraine.

With respect to data from the U.S. Department of Energy , they showed :

- Oil reserves rose by 4.03 million barrels to 384.122 million barrels ;

- Gasoline inventories decreased by 5,188 million barrels . to 210.436 million barrels . ;

- Distillate stocks rose by 0.239 million barrels . to 113.194 million barrels .

- Refining capacity utilization rate of 87.5 % against 87.7 % a week earlier ;

- Oil terminal in Cushing rose by 0.345 million barrels . to 27.599 million barrels .

Prices also affects forecast from U.S. Department of Energy , which states that in the next year and the volume of oil in the U.S. will grow a little slower than expected , and oil consumption will increase slightly . According to the latest forecast , this year's production in the U.S. will average 8.37 million barrels of oil per day. Previous DOE forecast assumed 8,390,000 barrels per day , and in 2013 U.S. production was 7.44 million barrels per day. 2015 The Department of Energy predicts the volume of production at the level of 9.13 million barrels per day compared to the previous forecast of 9.16 million barrels per day. Projected increases in production is still significant. U.S. Department of Energy expects growth in oil consumption in 2014 to 18.9 million barrels a day, and in 2015 - up to 18.99 million barrels per day. Previous forecast department for this year called for increased consumption to 18.89 million barrels per day.

Also important was the news that the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) will be able to accommodate additional volumes of oil in Iraq, Iran and Libya , while quotas for Iraq will be discussed no earlier than 2015 . This was announced by OPEC Secretary General Abdalla El - Badri . According to the Secretary General , OPEC expects a gradual increase in production of Iran and Iraq , and Libya can increase production by 1 million barrels per day ( b / d ) for a month, he added.

Not unimportant event also was that the Libyan authorities have made progress in negotiations with the rebels , who control the field and export terminals in the country, which gives hope for the return of production in the country to pre-war figures.

May futures for U.S. light crude oil WTI (Light Sweet Crude Oil) rose to $ 102.66 per barrel on the New York Mercantile Exchange (NYMEX).

May futures price for North Sea Brent crude oil mixture rose $ 0.18 to $ 107.81 a barrel on the London exchange ICE Futures Europe.