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Expert predicts oil price to be USD 45-55 pb

By Osama Jalal KUWAIT, June 22 (KUNA) -- International oil prices are forecast to remain in the vicinity of USD 45 and 55 until the market regains stability and equilibrium, a Kuwaiti oil expert believes.
Market balance can be restored by means of increasing more global oil stock withdrawals in a way that could send oil prices into future recovery, Mohammad Al-Shatti said to KUNA.
Oil producers' strategy aiming at allowing market dynamics to bring the world oil market back to earlier balance has contributed to curtailing shale oil production, he said.
However, this plan has failed to notch up the ultimate goal of rebalancing the oil market mainly due to the reluctance of OPEC and non-OPEC producers to cut oil output, the oil expert regretted.
The recent agreement by OPEC and non-OPEC countries to cut production as part of a fresh blueprint to restore market equilibrium has actually led to the recovery of oil prices, Al-Shatti added.
But, slowness in market rebalance since the oil output cut deal was put in place is primarily attributed to a hike in OPEC exports to the US market, sending oil markets into a state of concern, he pointed out.
During a meeting last month, OPEC officials agreed to protract the oil output accord, pushing the deadline to March of 2018.
In November, OPEC along with 10 non-OPEC members, including Russia, struck a deal to limit oil output by 1.8 million bpd in an effort to restore stability in the global oil market. (end) osj.ht.mt