
On the other hand, if war breaks out in Iraq while Venezuelan production is still low, supply would be severely stretched, to the limit of even what Saudi Arabia could add to output. The IEA estimated spare capacity at 2.3 million b/d, just under the 2.5 million b/d Iraq is currently pumping. Global oil output in January rose 1.2 million b/d to 77.6 million b/d, with the extra output coming chiefly from Saudi Arabia, Iraq, the UAE and Nigeria. A cold winter in the northern hemisphere and a recovery in the aviation industry increased demand, although a sluggish global economy prevented it from reaching historic highs. Demand forecast for whole of the first quarter is forecast at 78.2 million b/d while demand growth for the year as a whole is estimated at 1.1 million b/d. 'Inland deliveries of oil products posted their steepest gains of the year in December rising by an aggregate 3.6 per cent from 2001,' the IEA reported. Average oil prices in January were $32.99 for WTI, $31.32 for dated Brent and $28.02 for Dubai. Refining margins improved as product prices rose faster than those of crude.
You might also like...

Saudi Arabia issues Islamic bonds
24 January 2021

Tearing up the fiscal rule book
24 January 2021

Bidders await Oman factory update
24 January 2021

Successful firms driven by purpose not profit
24 January 2021
A MEED Subscription...
Subscribe or upgrade your current MEED.com package to support your strategic planning with the MENA region’s best source of business information. Proceed to our online shop below to find out more about the features in each package.
