Oil prices face pressure in 2014

By Peter Stewart 24 January 2014
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Oil prices face pressure in 2014 but markets will remain volatile in the year ahead.

Despite the shift away from oil indexation in gas pricing, more than half the world’s internationally traded gas is still tied to the price of crude and other products such as gasoil and fuel oil. Most of the gas sold into Asia, and around half the gas supplied in Europe remains oil-indexed. So the issue of where oil prices are heading in 2014 is at least as important as to where the spot price for gas and LNG is heading.

Annual oil price averages have been remarkably steady in recent years. In 2011, ICE Brent futures averaged $110.97 per barrel; in 2012, they averaged $111.71/bbl; and in 2013, they had dropped – albeit only by $3/bbl – to $108.74/bbl on average. 

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