April 2018
News & Resources

Industry at a glance

In March, downward pressure on oil prices was applied by consecutive gains in U.S. inventory, capped by a weekly surge of 5.32 MMbbl in late March.
Craig Fleming / World Oil

In March, downward pressure on oil prices was applied by consecutive gains in U.S. inventory, capped by a weekly surge of 5.32 MMbbl in late March. European stockpiles also increased. U.S. production rose 1.1%, to 10.27 MMbpd, while setbacks in equity markets and the threat of a global trade war also weighed on markets. These factors were offset by a ballistic missile attack by Yemen on Saudi Arabia, and changes in U.S. policy toward Iran that could remove a significant amount of oil from the market. In spite of the volatile combination, crude prices remained surprisingly resilient, with WTI unchanged at $62.57/bbl and Brent averaging $66.32/bbl (+1.3%). Drilling in the U.S. increased 2%, up 19 rigs to average 988 units in March. International activity totaled 1,310 in February, a gain of 6%. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

About the Authors
Craig Fleming
World Oil
Craig Fleming Craig.Fleming@WorldOil.com
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