OPEC+ pivots to offense: gulf producers prioritise market share

Beneath the surface of seemingly unified decisions, significant fault lines are widening within the OPEC+ alliance, as revealed by analysis from Rystad Energy. 

Russia’s pressing need for crude revenues to bolster its budget and counter sanctions-driven strain contrasts sharply with the long-term strategy of Gulf producers like Saudi Arabia and the UAE. 

The Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries and allies surprised markets over the weekend by announcing a 137,000 barrel-per-day (bpd) increase in production for October, marking the start of the second phase of unwinding its voluntary output cuts. 

Tolerance

This decision goes against widespread expectations that the group would maintain current output levels to support prices in an anticipated oversupplied market during the fourth quarter.

“Riyadh and its allies signaled a decisive pivot: defending market share now outweighs defending prices. The headline volume may look marginal, but the messaging is not,” Rystad Energy’s Chief Economist Claudio Galimberti said in an emailed commentary. 

These Gulf nations are reportedly willing to endure near-term revenue pain to secure future market share, anticipating a slowdown in global oil demand growth. 

For now, the Gulf camp appears to be dictating the terms, with Moscow largely conforming.

“Structural capacity constraints mean that only a handful of members – primarily Saudi Arabia, the UAE, and Iraq – can deliver significant volume uptick, and the compensation mechanism will further cap net additions,” Galimberti added. 

Source: Rystad Energy

Tensions in Caribbean

Adding another layer of geopolitical risk, Rystad Energy highlights escalating tensions in the Caribbean. 

The US administration’s actions targeting vessels and, potentially, future aircraft from Venezuela suspected of drug trafficking raise concerns about a possible military confrontation. 

Such a development would significantly impact regional stability and global oil markets.

The OPEC+ decisions are unfolding against a backdrop of a fluctuating US macroeconomic landscape. 

US economic data and Fed cuts

A disappointing August jobs report, showing only 22,000 payroll gains and downward revisions to June’s figures, has led markets to fully price in a 25-basis point (bp) Fed cut next week. 

The probability of three cuts by year-end now stands at 80%. This has resulted in sliding Treasury yields, volatile equities, and gold hitting new record highs. 

Gold’s surge is further fueled by reports that global central banks now hold more gold than US Treasuries, a first since 1996.

The upcoming Consumer Price Index (CPI) and Producer Price Index (PPI) releases on September 10-11 are expected to set the tone for the Fed meeting. 

While core CPI is projected to remain around 3.1%, an unexpected upside surprise could complicate the dovish narrative. In Europe, the European Central Bank (ECB) is expected to maintain its current rates as inflation stabilises.

For the oil markets, the coming week will be defined by how traders absorb OPEC+’s strategic shift. 

Rystad Energy anticipates Brent price volatility as the market re-evaluates its supply-demand balance. Softer prices are being tolerated, but OPEC+’s firm grip on swing supply remains a key factor.

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