The International Energy Agency said Wednesday that a U.S.-led surge in global oil production is expected to outstrip demand growth between now and the end of the decade, pushing spare capacity to unprecedented levels and potentially upending OPEC+ market management.
The forecast prompted a stern warning for Big Oil from IEA Executive Director Fatih Birol, who suggested the world’s largest energy majors may wish to align their business strategies with the changes taking place.
In its latest medium-term market report, titled Oil 2024, the global energy watchdog said oil demand growth was on track to slow down before ultimately reaching its peak of near 106 million barrels per day by 2030. That’s up from just over 102 million barrels per day in 2023.