Worst year for oil ending but demand set to remain weak

Forecasts show demand unlikely to match last year's; focus turns to managing supply

A 2019 photo showing Saudi Aramco's Abqaiq oil processing plant. In March, top oil exporters Saudi Arabia and Russia withdrew from a production cut agreement they had stood by for over three years. This, together with the coronavirus lockdowns, led t
A 2019 photo showing Saudi Aramco's Abqaiq oil processing plant. In March, top oil exporters Saudi Arabia and Russia withdrew from a production cut agreement they had stood by for over three years. This, together with the coronavirus lockdowns, led to the unprecedented oil slump. PHOTO: AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE
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If oil market players thought things could not get any worse after this hellish year, then they might be in for a nasty surprise next year.

Prices have hit rock bottom over the past 12 months, but hopes of a recovery are being clouded by forecasts showing demand is unlikely to even match levels seen last year.

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A version of this article appeared in the print edition of The Straits Times on December 29, 2020, with the headline Worst year for oil ending but demand set to remain weak. Subscribe