Oil prices extend gains on US plans to refill reserve, Canada’s wildfires
2023.05.15 22:10
© Reuters. An aerial view shows a crude oil tanker at an oil terminal off Waidiao island in Zhoushan, Zhejiang province, China January 4, 2023. China Daily via REUTERS
By Yuka Obayashi
TOKYO (Reuters) – Oil prices rose for a second day early on Tuesday, as U.S. plans to purchase oil for the Strategic Petroleum Reserve (SPR) lent support while raging wildfires in Canada fuelled supply worries.
futures rose 31 cents, or 0.4%, to $75.54 a barrel by 0043 GMT, while U.S. West Texas Intermediate crude was at $71.38 a barrel, up 27 cents, or 0.4%.
Both benchmarks rose more than 1% on Monday, reversing a 3-session losing streak.
The U.S. Department of Energy said on Monday it would buy 3 million barrels of for the SPR for delivery in August, and asked that offers be submitted by May 31.
“The market got a boost from expectations that the U.S. repurchase of oil for the strategic reserve will continue if WTI prices fall near or below $70 a barrel,” said Toshitaka Tazawa, an analyst at Fujitomi Securities Co Ltd.
“Behind the gain was also bargain-hunting by some investors after the recent sharp declines,” he said.
Last week, Brent and WTI futures fell for a fourth straight week over fears of a U.S. recession and risks of a historic default on government debt in early June. The benchmarks last recorded a similar streak of weekly declines in September 2022.
Oil prices on Tuesday, however, drew support from supply worries stemming from wildfires in Canada.
The widespread blazes in Alberta, Canada forced more than 30,000 people out of their homes at one point and shuttered at least 319,000 barrels of oil equivalent per day (boepd), or 3.7% of national production.
Global crude supplies could also tighten in the second half as OPEC+ – the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries and allies including Russia – plan additional output cuts.
On the other hand, U.S. oil output from the seven biggest shale basins is due to rise in June to the highest on record, data from the Energy Information Administration showed.
Venezuelan state energy company PDVSA’s new management expects to boost the country’s oil production to 1.17 million barrels per day (bpd) by year end while increasing refining and exploration activities, an internal planning document showed.
