Oil prices, on Friday, June 16, surged from 2017 lows but remained on track for a fourth consecutive week of losses because of excess supplies despite OPEC-led production cuts.
Brent crude futures were up 43 cents at $47.35 per barrel by 1026 GMT. U.S. West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude futures were at $44.70 per barrel, up 24 cents.
“The market took a breather yesterday and is trying to recover somewhat this morning. It is by no means bullish,” said Tamas Varga, analyst at brokerage PVM Oil Associates.
Oil prices are roughly 13 percent below where they were in late May, when producers led by the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) extended for nine months a pledge to cut output by 1.8 million barrels per day (bpd). The cuts had been due to end this month and will now run till March.
Rising U.S. oil output has undermined the impact of OPEC-led cuts. Data from the U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) this week showing growing gasoline stocks and shaky demand, despite the peak summer driving season, sent prices tumbling.
Recovering production from Libya and Nigeria, both of which were exempt from OPEC cuts, and high exports and production from Russia were also contributing to the ongoing glut.
Top producer Russia, not an OPEC member but which signed up to the deal to cuts, is expected to export 61.2 million tonnes of oil via pipelines in the third quarter, equivalent to about 5 million bpd, against 60.5 million tonnes in the second quarter, according to industry sources and Reuters calculations.
