Reserve replenishment fueling oil prices - BP economist
MOSCOW, March 13 (RIA Novosti) - Higher prices for energy resources are not only due to increasing consumption but also to major consumer countries replenishing their reserves, the chief economist at energy giant British Petroleum said Monday.
Although oil production is higher than demand, fuel prices are continuing to rise, Christof Ruehl said at an international conference on energy security in Moscow. He said countries are replenishing their reserves to use or sell later.
Ruehl said oil prices leapt from $35 to $55 in 2005, which he said was related to GDP growth.
He said consumption had risen by 3 million barrels per day in 2004 and by 1.2 million barrels per day in 2005, and attributed such dynamics to intense global economic growth and an increase in usable capacities.
Ruehl predicted that although oil production would continue to be higher than demand in 2006, markets would remain uncertain and prices would stay at their current levels due to a shortage of available oil.
According to Ruehl, oil prices will not fall below $40 until 2009-2010, when the reserve capacity will be restored.
As for the medium and long terms, he said world oil demand would grow with GDP.
