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Brent is hovering above $100/bbl and set to rise weekly on Middle East escalation

Brent oil prices hovered above $100 per barrel Friday, heading for a fourth week of gains. This was largely due to concerns over disrupted energy flow in the Red Sea as well as fears about escalation of the U.S. and Israeli war against Iran.

Brent futures rose 37 cents or 0.37% to $101.06 per barrel at 0330 GMT. The previous session, the price of a barrel had risen 7% over $100 for the first since May after Iran-aligned Houthis claimed they had struck two Saudi oil tanks in the Red Sea.

The contract was on track for a 14.6% increase this week.

West Texas Intermediate (WTI), futures are little changed, at $91.20 per barrel. This is their highest level since June 11, and they're on track to have an 11.8% increase in a week.

ING analysts wrote in a Friday note that "the potential supply disruptions now facing the market are greater than?at any other time during the conflict." Not only has oil flow through the Strait of Hormuz virtually dried up, but there are also clear risks for Saudi oil flowing from the Red Sea.

"Further escalated in the Gulf?and fears of an expanding conflict?are putting significant amounts of oil supply on risk."

According to Kpler's ship-tracking data, the number of tankers passing through the Strait of Hormuz dropped to one on Thursday – the lowest since May 7.

The Bab el-Mandeb shipping route controls access from the Red Sea to the Indian Ocean and is the second-most-important oil channel after the Strait of Hormuz.

Donald Trump, the U.S. president, vowed to "hold Iran accountable" for any future attacks.

Houthis, who are Iran-aligned, declared on Monday they would impose a naval blockade against Saudi Arabia. Saudi Arabia had diverted its oil through pipelines to avoid Iran's closure of Strait of Hormuz.

After an interim ceasefire between Iran and the United States collapsed two week ago, Iran had pressed the Houthis?to close the Bab el-Mandeb portal?to Red Sea if they continued to attack Iranian energy infrastructure.

On?Thursday the energy ministry of Kazakhstan said that oil companies had temporarily reduced production following suspected Ukrainian drone attacks which forced the closure of Kazakhstan's main Black Sea Export Terminal.

On Tuesday, sources in the industry said that the Caspian Pipeline Consortium had stopped receiving oil from Kazakhstan. They suspended loadings due to attacks on tankers at terminal. About 2% of the world's crude oil is transported via this route.

Kazakhstan's Energy Ministry did not specify the extent of production reductions. However, one source claimed that the country's largest field had reduced output by more than 50%.

(source: Reuters)