OPEC+ expressed growing confidence in the global economic recovery by agreeing to increase oil production gradually in the coming months.Before Thursday’s meeting, the cartel had been widely expected to maintain its cautious stance by rolling over the current supply cuts, just as it did last month. Yet Saudi Arabia and its allies showed they are more convinced now that fuel demand is on a firmer footing after a yearlong beating from the coronavirus.
s countries like the U.S. rapidly expand their vaccination programs, there are growing signals that the oil market is healing. Last week, American refiners processed the most crude since the pandemic started as they prepared for a surge in driving and flying.
Although European oil consumption is weak as France, Germany and Italy extend or impose new lockdowns, demand indicators from China remain strong. The global seven-day average of commercial flights taking off each day hit on a post-pandemic high of 77,708 on Wednesday, according to data from Flightradar24.
“Even in those sectors that were badly hit such as airline travel, there are signs of meaningful improvement,” Saudi Energy Minister Prince Abdulaziz bin Salman said at the opening session of the OPEC+ videoconference.
The Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries and its allies will add more than 2 million barrels a day to world oil supplies from May to July. That will restore about a quarter of the crude they are still withholding after making deep cuts a year ago in response to the pandemic.