Oil at five-month high

Oil prices hit a record high, propelled by supply concerns and tensions between Israel and Iran.

Share:

Hausse pétrole avril 2024 tensions Iran Israël

Gain full professional access to energynews.pro from 4.90$/month.
Designed for decision-makers, with no long-term commitment.

Over 30,000 articles published since 2021.
150 new market analyses every week to decode global energy trends.

Monthly Digital PRO PASS

Immediate Access
4.90$/month*

No commitment – cancel anytime, activation in 2 minutes.

*Special launch offer: 1st month at the indicated price, then 14.90 $/month, no long-term commitment.

Annual Digital PRO Pass

Full Annual Access
99$/year*

To access all of energynews.pro without any limits

*Introductory annual price for year one, automatically renewed at 149.00 $/year from the second year.

Oil prices rose significantly on Tuesday, reaching their highest level since late October. This rise, influenced by a strike attributed to Israel against the Iranian consulate in Damascus, raised fears of Iranian reprisals. Brent and WTI rose by 1.71% and 1.72% respectively, nearing $90 a barrel.

Geopolitics at the heart of market concerns

The impact of tensions between Israel and Iran on oil markets is now indisputable. The United States and several Gulf states also regularly denounce Tehran’s actions off the coast of Oman. A ship carrying a cargo of diesel fuel, owned by an Israeli businessman, was targeted by an Iranian projectile at the end of 2022. Bill O’Grady of Confluence Investment notes a growing awareness of geopolitical risks. The strike on the Iranian consulate in Damascus, which killed 13 people including Qods Force commanders, intensifies speculation about a possible Iranian retaliation.

International reactions and their implications

The international community remains on alert in the wake of recent events. Escalating tensions could have dramatic consequences for the region. Israel’s attack on World Central Kitchen employees in Gaza adds a worrying humanitarian dimension to the crisis.

The role of OPEC+ and shale oil production

The upward price trend is also attributed to the small increase in US shale oil production and OPEC+’s rigid production policies. These factors, combined with stable demand, could reduce oil inventories, thereby supporting higher prices.

Future prospects for the oil market

The technical meeting of OPEC+’s Joint Ministerial Monitoring Committee (JMMC) scheduled for Wednesday could offer new guidelines for oil production. The decisions taken at this meeting are likely to influence the markets, and could either ease or exacerbate current tensions.

Soaring oil prices, fuelled by geopolitical factors and OPEC+ strategic decisions, highlight the vulnerabilities of global energy supplies. Future developments could have a major impact on the global economy and regional stability.

Increased output from Opec+ and non-member producers is expected to create a global oil surplus as early as 2025, putting pressure on crude prices, according to the International Energy Agency.
The Brazilian company expands its African footprint with a new offshore exploration stake, partnering with Shell and Galp to develop São Tomé and Príncipe’s Block 4.
A drone attack on a Bachneft oil facility in Ufa sparked a fire with no casualties, temporarily disrupting activity at one of Russia’s largest refineries.
The divide between the United States and the European Union over regulations on Russian oil exports to India is causing a drop in scheduled deliveries, as negotiation margins tighten between buyers and sellers.
Against market expectations, US commercial crude reserves surged due to a sharp drop in exports, only slightly affecting international prices.
Russia plans to ship 2.1 million barrels per day from its western ports in September, revising exports upward amid lower domestic demand following drone attacks on key refineries.
QatarEnergy obtained a 35% stake in the Nzombo block, located in deep waters off Congo, under a production sharing contract signed with the Congolese government.
Phillips 66 acquires Cenovus Energy’s remaining 50% in WRB Refining, strengthening its US market position with two major sites totalling 495,000 barrels per day.
Nigeria’s two main oil unions have halted loadings at the Dangote refinery, contesting the rollout of a private logistics fleet that could reshape the sector’s balance.
Reconnaissance Energy Africa Ltd. enters Gabonese offshore with a strategic contract on the Ngulu block, expanding its portfolio with immediate production potential and long-term development opportunities.
BW Energy has finalised a $365mn financing for the conversion of the Maromba FPSO offshore Brazil and signed a short-term lease for a drilling rig with Minsheng Financial Leasing.
Vantage Drilling has finalised a major commercial agreement for the deployment of the Platinum Explorer, with a 260-day offshore mission starting in Q1 2026.
Permex Petroleum has signed a non-binding memorandum of understanding with Chisos Ltd. for potential funding of up to $25mn to develop its oil assets in the Permian Basin.
OPEC+ begins a new phase of gradual production increases, starting to lift 1.65 million barrels/day of voluntary cuts after the early conclusion of a 2.2 million barrels/day phaseout.
Imperial Petroleum expanded its fleet to 19 vessels in the second quarter of 2025, while reporting a decline in revenue due to lower rates in the maritime oil market.
Eight OPEC+ members will meet to adjust their quotas as forecasts point to a global surplus of 3 million barrels per day by year-end.
Greek shipping companies are gradually withdrawing from transporting Russian crude as the European Union tightens compliance conditions on price caps.
A key station on the Stalnoy Kon pipeline, essential for transporting petroleum products between Belarus and Russia, was targeted in a drone strike carried out by Ukrainian forces in Bryansk Oblast.
SOMO is negotiating with ExxonMobil to secure storage and refining access in Singapore, aiming to strengthen Iraq’s position in expanding Asian markets.
The European Union’s new import standard forces the United Kingdom to make major adjustments to its oil and gas exports, impacting competitiveness and trade flows between the two markets.

Log in to read this article

You'll also have access to a selection of our best content.