INSUBCONTINENT EXCLUSIVE:
SEOUL: Oil prices rose on Friday as US oil producers in the Gulf of Mexico cut more than half their output in the face of a tropical storm
and as tensions continued in the Middle East.
Brent crude futures were up 37 cents, or 0.6 per cent, at $66.89 per barrel by 0115 GMT
The international benchmark settled down 0.7 per cent on Thursday after hitting its highest since May 30 at $67.52 a barrel.
US West Texas
Intermediate (WTI) crude futures were up 34 cents, or 0.6 per cent, at $60.54 a barrel
The US benchmark closed 0.38 per cent lower on Thursday after marking its highest since May 23 at $60.94
By Thursday, oil companies in the Gulf of Mexico had cut more than 1 million barrels per day (bpd) of output, or 53 per cent of the
region's production, due to Tropical Storm Barry.
The storm was forecast to become a category one hurricane with at least 74-mile-per hour
(119 km-per-hour) winds.
"Brent crude oil extended its gains as storms in the Gulf of Mexico halted production of oil and US oil
inventories continued to recede more than expected," ANZ Bank said in a note
US crude oil inventories have decreased for four consecutive weeks
US crude stocks fell 9.5 million barrels in the week to July 5, the Energy Information Administration (EIA) said, a drop that was more than
triple the 3.1 million-barrel draw expected by analysts
Meanwhile, Iran's alleged attempt to block a British-owned tanker heightened tensions in the Middle East in the wake of attacks on tankers
and the downing of US drone by Iran in June.
"While a full-scale military conflict remains the least likely scenario, the strong increases
for cost of insurance will make for a most costly transportation of crude and see new routes explored, delaying crude arrivals," said Edward
Moya, senior market analyst at OANDA in New York
But a lower 2020 oil demand outlook from the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries kept price gains in check
OPEC said the world would need 29.27 million bpd of crude from its 14 members in 2020, down 1.34 million bpd this year