The global energy market is in a fever: oil prices reacted with a rise to the sharp tightening of the naval blockade of Venezuela by the United States and an unprecedented attack by Ukrainian drones on a Russian tanker. The price of Brent rose to $61 per barrel, and American WTI settled at $57. This was reported by Bloomberg, writes UNN.
Details
Donald Trump has moved to an active phase of strangling the regime of Nicolas Maduro. The US Coast Guard on Saturday boarded the tanker Centuries in the Caribbean with 2 million barrels of oil, and is now pursuing another vessel – Bella 1. The White House officially recognized the Venezuelan government as a "foreign terrorist organization", accusing it of drug trafficking.
US detains third tanker near Venezuela - Bloomberg21.12.25, 18:48
Although Venezuela's exports account for less than 1% of global demand, such demonstrative actions create market tension, especially given that most of this oil goes to China.
Ukrainian factor in the Mediterranean Sea
An additional driver of prices was a new stage of naval warfare: Ukraine for the first time successfully attacked an oil tanker of the Russian "shadow fleet" in the neutral waters of the Mediterranean Sea. This, along with strikes on Lukoil facilities in the Caspian Sea, threatens the stability of supplies from another key OPEC+ player.
Analysts' forecasts
Despite the current growth, experts warn of a possible price drop in 2026 due to an oversupply from non-cartel countries.
We maintain our somewhat more optimistic view on crude oil until the end of the year, based on the fact that geopolitical events will be much more favorable.
However, he added that next year Brent could fall to $50 if geopolitical tensions do not outweigh the economic surplus of oil on the market.