Published January 5, 2018, 10:00 PM By Reuters
Singapore – Oil prices fell on
Friday, dropping away from highs last seen in 2015, as soaring US production
undermined a 10-percent rally from lows hit in December that was driven by
tightening supply and political tensions in OPEC member Iran.
US West Texas Intermediate (WTI)
crude futures were at $61.95 a barrel at 0619 GMT. That was 6 cents below their
last close, though still near the $62.21-high reached the previous day, which
was their strongest since May, 2015.
Brent crude futures were at $67.99 a
barrel, 8 cents below their last settlement, but still not far off the
$68.27-peak from the day before, also the highest since May, 2015.
Traders said political tensions in
Iran, the third-largest producer in the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting
Countries (OPEC), had pushed prices higher.
“The protests in Iran add more fuel
to the already bullish oil market mood,” said Norbert Ruecker, head of
commodity research at Swiss bank Julius Baer.
Oil prices have received general
support from production cuts led by OPEC and by Russia, which started in
January last year and are set to last through 2018, as well as from strong economic
growth and financial markets.
That has helped tighten markets. US
commercial crude inventories fell by 7.4 million barrels in the week to Dec.
29, to 424.46 million barrels, according to data from the Energy Information
Administration (EIA).
That is down 20 percent from their
historic peaks last March and close to the five-year average of 420 million
barrels.
Yet given Iran’s oil production has
not been affected by the unrest, and that US output will likely break through
10 million barrels per day (bpd) soon, a level so far only reached by Saudi
Arabia and Russia, doubts are emerging whether the bull-run can last.
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