IEA chief expects abundant supply, moderate prices in 2024

Oil drilling rigs

The International Energy Agency’s (IEA) executive director, Fatih Birol, expects global oil markets to stabilize this year, with new supplies covering demand and helping to limit prices, Bloomberg reported today, Feb. 13.

Birol told Bloomberg that global consumption will rise by 1.2 million to 1.3 million barrels per day this year, a “significantly weaker” pace than last year as economic growth slows in China and elsewhere.

This slowdown in consumption growth will be offset by a significant increase in production in the Americas, particularly the United States, Canada, Brazil, and Guyana, he noted.

“This growth is more than enough to meet the global oil demand,” Birol said. “So in the absence of major geopolitical turmoil or major extreme weather events, we would expect a rather comfortable oil market and moderate oil price evolution throughout 2024.”