Libya Pipeline Blast Sends Oil Trade to Mid-2015 Levels

Oil traded near the highest close in more than two years after an explosion at a pipeline carrying crude to Libya’s biggest export terminal curbed the OPEC nation’s production.
Futures were little changed in New York after rising 2.6 percent on Tuesday and breaching $60 a barrel for the first time since June 2015. A pipeline run by Waha Oil Company that carries crude to Libya’s Es Sider terminal exploded Tuesday. reducing output by 70.000-100.000 barrels a day. Meanwhile. Saudi Arabia is said to expect oil revenue to jump about 80 percent by 2023 to help the kingdom record its first budget surplus in a decade.
Oil is heading for a second yearly advance as the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries and its allies including Russia prolong supply curbs through the end of 2018. Prices gained this month after a separate pipe in Britain — one of the most important conduits in the world — was shut because of a crack. Partial flows have now restarted at the Forties Pipeline System’s Kinneil facility. operator Ineos Group said.
“The pipeline explosion in Libya is a lot more serious as it may take a long time to restore. which can be a long-term driver of oil prices.“ Kim Kwangrae. a commodities analyst at Samsung Futures Inc. in Seoul. said by phone. “The disruption is considered detrimental enough to dry up some of the global glut.“
West Texas Intermediate for February delivery was at $59.75 a barrel on the New York Mercantile Exchange. down 22 cents. at 2:13 p.m. in Seoul. Total volume traded was about 53 percent below the 100-day average. Futures rose to as high as $60.01 a barrel in the previous session. At the settlement on Tuesday. they gained $1.50 to $59.97.
Brent for February settlement lost 29 cents to $66.73 a barrel on the London-based ICE Futures Europe exchange.

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