UAE says oil cuts removed 85% of the oversupply problem
The world economy is benefiting from the cuts, he said at a Bloomberg Businessweek Middle East conference in Dubai. Mazrouei, who also serves this year as president of the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries, isn’t concerned that a potential international trade war might upset the crude market, he said Tuesday in a Bloomberg TV interview in Dubai.
“I’m not that concerned about a trade war getting to the oil market,” Al Mazrouei said in the interview. “It may affect the cost of drilling, the cost of completion, but I think overall the effect is going to be minor to the oil prices.”
Participants in the oil-cuts accord plan to meet later this month in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, to assess their progress toward clearing a glut and re-balancing the market. Saudi Arabia, Russia, the UAE and other producers agreed in November to extend the deal through this year. Brent crude has gained 1.5% in 2018 and was 25 cents higher at $67.89/bbl at 11:55 a.m. in London.
'Great partner'
The benchmark fell 2.5% on Monday after China imposed retaliatory tariffs on U.S. goods, the latest move in an escalating trade dispute between the world’s largest economies.
Russia has been a “great partner” in the cuts agreement, and the majority of participants in the deal are supportive of a longer-term cooperation between OPEC and non-OPEC producers, Mazrouei said in the interview.
Producers should first achieve their goal of reducing crude inventories in developed economies to the five-year average before they consider adopting a different measurement for when the oil market is re-balanced, he said. OPEC and its allies have held talks about changing the way they gauge the impact of their production cuts, including possibly using use a seven-year inventory average, according to delegates from the group.
“I would prefer to focus on achieving the mission first,” Al Mazrouei told Bloomberg TV.