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Oil Prices Edge Higher as Supply Risks Mount

FILE PHOTO: A view shows oil pump jacks outside Almetyevsk in the Republic of Tatarstan, Russia June 4, 2023. REUTERS/Alexander Manzyuk//File Photo
FILE PHOTO: A view shows oil pump jacks outside Almetyevsk in the Republic of Tatarstan, Russia June 4, 2023. REUTERS/Alexander Manzyuk//File Photo
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Oil Prices Edge Higher as Supply Risks Mount

FILE PHOTO: A view shows oil pump jacks outside Almetyevsk in the Republic of Tatarstan, Russia June 4, 2023. REUTERS/Alexander Manzyuk//File Photo
FILE PHOTO: A view shows oil pump jacks outside Almetyevsk in the Republic of Tatarstan, Russia June 4, 2023. REUTERS/Alexander Manzyuk//File Photo

Oil prices rose in early Asian trading hours on Friday, setting up a third straight weekly jump, as concerns about supply problems from escalating geopolitical tensions and weather-related disruptions offset signs of weak demand.
Brent crude futures for August settlement, which expire on Friday, rose 15 cents, or 0.2% to $86.54 a barrel by 0020 GMT. The Brent contract for September was also up 0.2% at $85.44 a barrel.
US West Texas Intermediate crude futures for August delivery rose 24 cents, or 0.3%, to $81.98 a barrel.
Oil prices have shrugged off signs of weak demand in the United States, the biggest oil consuming nation, and rallied higher as cross-border strains between Israel and Lebanon's Hezbollah escalated. A widening war in the Middle East could draw in countries like Iran, one of the top oil exporters in the region.
The French foreign ministry expressed concern over the situation in Lebanon on Thursday, while Türkiye earlier said it stands in solidarity with Lebanon and called on regional governments' support.
Oil supplies have also come under pressure from weather-related disruptions which could worsen in the coming weeks. Heavy rains have caused Ecuador's production to decline by 100,000 barrels a day over the past week, FGE Energy said on Friday.
The US Gulf Coast, home to a bulk of the country's energy and export infrastructure, could also be hit by adverse weather in the coming days with the US National Hurricane Center tracking at least one weather system that could become a cyclone and headed towards the region.
Brent and WTI futures have gained 1.5% so far on a weekly basis.
On the demand front, rising US crude stockpiles and weak gasoline consumption has kept a ceiling above oil prices. Government data this week showed an unexpected jump in crude inventories in the country as fuel demand weakened.
However, expectations of record travel over the July 4th weekend in the US could lift gasoline demand and help draw stockpiles.

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OPEC Secretary General: Producing Critical Minerals in Future Not Only Dependent on Renewable Energy

Trucks transporting minerals from the mountains (Getty)
Trucks transporting minerals from the mountains (Getty)
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OPEC Secretary General: Producing Critical Minerals in Future Not Only Dependent on Renewable Energy

Trucks transporting minerals from the mountains (Getty)
Trucks transporting minerals from the mountains (Getty)

OPEC Secretary General Haitham Al Ghais said on Monday that those that talk of critical minerals delivering the world a future of only renewables and EVs, are not providing a full picture.

In an article published on the organization’s official website, Al Ghais spoke about the many future energy pathways for nations and peoples across the world, affirming that “we all need to be realistic about how these can be achieved.”

Al Ghais said that sustainable energy pathways are vital for populations all over the world. However, he noted, “we need to appreciate the real-world impacts of scenarios and policies aimed at ramping up renewables and electric vehicles (EVs). There are many elements that filter into this, a central one being the role played by critical minerals.”

At this point, he mentioned the International Energy Agency (IEA), which says that in its Net Zero Emissions (NZE) by 2050 Scenario, demand for critical minerals quadruples by 2040.

“It is a pace never seen before in history,” Al Ghais wrote.

He noted that while these minerals, such as copper, cobalt, silicon, nickel, lithium, graphite and rare earths underpin the development of renewables and EVs, OPEC Member Countries are investing heavily in renewables, in all stages of their supply chains, and participating in the development of EVs.

OPEC attaches an importance “to the role of renewables and electrification in our energy future,” he said.

Al Ghais then posed several questions on the nature of such an expansion of critical mineral requirements.

“Is this kind of expansion truly feasible? What are the implications? How sustainable is it? And how important is oil and gas to the expansion of critical minerals, as well as renewables, EVs and grids,” he asked.

In the mentioned IEA scenario, Al Ghais said that by 2040, copper demand rises by 50%, rare earths demand almost doubles, cobalt demand more than doubles, and nickel demand is close to tripling.

“These are nowhere near the largest increases either. Graphite demand grows almost four times, and lithium sees a nearly ninefold expansion by 2040, underlining its crucial role in batteries,” he noted.

The OPEC Secretary General affirmed that this will require the construction of a huge number of new mines.

“Back in 2022, the IEA said that by 2030 alone, the world would need to build 50 new lithium mines, 60 new nickel mines and 17 cobalt mines,” he said.

He added, “It should be borne in mind that, historically, critical supply chain projects, such as for these types of commodities, have had long development lead times, from discovery to first production.”

Here, Al Ghais asked another question: is such growth realistic? And what might the impact be if growth comes up short, and equally importantly, what if policymakers have also followed a path of no longer investing in new oil and gas projects?

The Secretary General said EVs, wind turbines, solar panels, as well as new grids, are all hungry for critical minerals.

“An EV contains approximately 200 kg of minerals,” he explained. “For contrast, a conventional car uses around 34 kg. One megawatt of electricity produced by an offshore wind turbine requires around 15 tons of minerals, while the figure for solar is around seven tons. For natural gas, it is just over 1 ton.”