Oil prices rise on supply deficit concerns

Sept 19 – Oil prices rose in early trade on Tuesday for the fourth consecutive session, as weak shale output in the US spurred further concerns about a supply deficit stemming from extended production cuts by Saudi Arabia and Russia.

US West Texas Intermediate crude futures rose 90 cents, or 1%, to USD 92.38, by 0018 GMT, just under a 10-month high reached on Monday, while global oil benchmark Brent crude futures rose 27 cents, or 0.3%, to USD 94.70 a barrel.

Prices have gained for three consecutive weeks.

US oil output from top shale-producing regions is on track to fall to 9.393 million barrels per day (bpd) in October, the lowest level since May 2023, the US Energy Information Administration (EIA) said on Monday. It will have fallen for three months in a row.

Those estimates come after Saudi Arabia and Russia this month extended a combined 1.3 million barrels per day (bpd) of supply cuts to the end of the year.

Saudi Arabia’s Energy Minister Prince Abdulaziz bin Salman on Monday defended OPEC+ cuts to oil market supply, saying international energy markets need light-handed regulation to limit volatility, while also warning of uncertainty about Chinese demand, European growth, and central bank action to tackle inflation.

(Reporting by Stephanie Kelly; Editing by Sonali Paul)