Bad News for Nigeria as Saudi Arabia, Qatar & Russia Agrees to Freeze Oil Output

Posted by Odinaka on Wed 17th Feb, 2016 - tori.ng

Crude oil prices have been on the rise in the past 24 hours, settling at $34 on Tuesday but the rise in prices may not be good news for Nigeria, as the country may be forced to under-produce and renege on its 2016 targets.

The Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC)

Following an agreement between Saudi Arabia, Russia, Qatar and Venezuela to freeze output at January 2016 levels, and speak with Iran to cut expected increase in output to tackle global oversupply, crude oil prices have been on the rise in the past 24 hours, settling at $34 on Tuesday.

It was reported that oil prices initially rose to $35.55 per barrel as the news of the 'secret meeting' hit the airwaves, but it finally settled at $34 as expectations for an immediate deal did not materialise.

The rise in prices may not be good news for Nigeria, as the country may be forced to under-produce and renege on its 2016 targets. The 2016 Budget sets an optimistic oil production target of 2.2 million barrels per day, but its January production, according to the Organisation of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC), was 1.9 million.

Nigeria’s Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, Ibe Kachikwu, in an interview on Sunday, said Nigeria was looking at raising its production levels to 2.5 million barrels per day – a feat that may be impossible following these new revelations.

It was gathered that for Nigeria to meet its budget expectations, it must produce 2.2 million barrels per day, and sell at a $38 per barrel.

Saudi Arabian oil minister, Ali Al-Naimi, who spoke at a news conference in Doha, Qatar, said freezing oil producers’ output will be adequate to improve the oil market.

"Freezing now at the January level is adequate for the market, we believe. We recognise today the supply is going down because of current prices. We also recognise that demand is on the rise.

"The reason we agree to a potential freeze of production is simply, it is the beginning of a process which we will assess in the next few months and decide if we need other steps to stabilise and improve the market.

"This is very important, we don’t want significant gyrations in prices, we want to meet demand. We want a stable oil price."

Meanwhile, Venezuela’s oil minister, Eulogio Del Pino, said more talks would take place with Iran and Iraq on Wednesday, to get other producers on board.