Thursday, November 30, 2017

'R-OPEC' or OPEC? All about Russia at Helferstorferstrasse 17

The Oilholic has negotiated some serious snowfall to arrive at Helferstorferstrasse 17, OPEC's secretariat in Vienna, Austria for the 173rd OPEC Ministers' meeting. 

The winter wonderland that the Austrian capital has transformed into overnight should make the Russians feel right at home. That's because all the soundbites here are about the Russians, and what they may or may not agree to this time around. 

The collective OPEC and non-OPEC production cut, pegged at 1.8 million barrels per day (bpd) in May, is valid until March 2018. So the question is a simple one where from here? The Gulf exporters led by Saudi Arabia want a nine month extension beyond that to cover most of 2018. However, Russian oil minister Alexander Novak is not so keen on the idea, questioning why OPEC wants to extend a deal that is yet to expire.  

Here's some overnight analysis for Forbes. Sooner or later Russia will part company with OPEC and the many in the market are cognizant of that.

And here's the first report from OPEC for IBTimes UK. Plenty more from here soon, but that's all for the moment folks! Keep reading, keep it 'crude'!

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© Gaurav Sharma 2017. Photo: View of snowfall on Westbahnhof / Europaplatz, Vienna, Austria, November 30, 2017. 

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