Analys

SEB Jordbruksprodukter, 19 november 2012

Publicerat

11 år sedan

den

19 november, 2012

Vetet har rekylerat ner och befinner sig i ett område med stöd, vilket kan ge en ny uppgång i veckan som kommer. Sojabönorna tyngs av oro för ytterligare en höjning av USA:s skördeestimat i januaris slutliga skörderapport från USDA. Vädret i Brasilien och Argentina är bra med god nederbörd. De makroekonomiska problemen i Europa ser knappast ut att lösas och det ser ut som om Frankrike är nästa land där problemen stiger till ytan. Det betyder att problemen materialiserar sig i en av eurozonens hörnstenar.

Vi rekommenderar köp av vete och sälj på nästan allt annat, utom mjölk och potatis.

SEB fortsätter, att som första bank i världen, erbjuda sina kunder att prissäkra ett börsbaserat mjölkpris i kronor per kilo, i poster om 10,000 kg.

Ag Canada

Agriculture and Agri-Food Canadas prognos över utbud och efterfrågan för majoriteten av spannmål och oljeväxter i Kanada lämnades oförändrad i deras senaste månadsrapport. Utgående lager för de åtta största oljeväxterna och spannmål (canola, linfrö, sojabönor, vete, havre, korn, majs och råg) 2012/13 uppskattas till 9.595 mt, vilket är oförändrat från förra månaden men en nedjustering från 2011/12 års prognos på 10.433 mt.

Produktionen för 2012/13 beräknas till 68.458 mt, vilket är oförändrat från oktober men en uppjustering från 2011/12 års 66.20 mt. Den totala exporten lämnades också oförändrad på 35.085 mt, vilket kan jämföras med estimatet för 2011/12 på 34.433 mt.

Odlingsväder

Vädret förra veckan blev (ännu) torrare i the Plains i USA. Det var torrt i Europa i veckan som gick. Brasiliens centrala delar får god / normal nederbörd. Argentina och södra Brasilien var torrt i veckan som gick, men Argentina får ny nederbörd i veckan som kommer, som dock missar södra Brasilien.

Vete

Nedan ser vi kursdiagrammet för marskontraktet på Matif. Priset har rekylerat ner till ett smalt område mellan 265 och 270 euro per ton – motståndslinje ovanför och stöd precis under.

Vi tror att priset kommer att stiga i mars-kontraktet, snarare än falla. Till stöd för detta tar vi novmeberkontraktet 2013, som vi ser i kursdiagrammet nedan. Där finns ingen tydlig motståndsnivå på uppsidan, däremot ett starkt stöd som ligger på 235 euro. Vi ser att rekylen från 250 euro har hejdats av stödet. Efter sedvanlig ”sidledes” rörelse för att ta kraften av rekylen, tror vi det är sannolikt att priset gör ett nytt försök uppåt.

Nedan ser vi terminskurvorna för Matif och Chicago. Det är ”som vanligt” mer ”backwardation” i Matif än i Chicago, och det innebär att den som vill prissäkra nästan skörd, bör överväga att göra det i Chicagoterminerna.

Det talas i USA om att Mississippi-floden ska behöva stängas under december till februari. Detta skulle ge ett mindre utbud i närtid, samtidigt som Ryssland och Ukraina når exportgränsen.

Tisdagens Crop Progress från USDA visar att sådden av det amerikanska höstvetet i stort sett är klar, med 95% avklarad per i söndags, en ökning från förra veckans 92% och strax över det femåriga genomsnittet (94%). Höstvetets uppkomst i de 18 stater som rapporterar ligger på 79%, vilket i stort sett är i linje med det femåriga genomsnittet på 81% vid denna tid. Torka och även minusgrader i vissa områden utsätter grödorna för prövning och precis som väntat så har tillståndet för höstvete försämrats och noterar nu de sämsta siffrorna sedan mitten på 1980-talet då den veckovisa rapporten började skickas ut. Endast 36% är nu klassat som ”good/excellent”, vilket är 3% lägre från förra veckan och betydligt lägre än förra årets 50% vid denna tid. Grödor klassade som ”very poor/poor” har ökat med 3% sedan förra veckan och i South Dakota tillhörde 53% denna kategori.

Strategie Grains säger att lantbrukare fortfarande har möjlighet att komma ikapp med sådden, trots en dålig start i vissa länder .ex Franrike, och estimerar sin första prognos för EU’s veteproduktion 2013 till 136 mt, en ökning med 13 mt från årets
produktion.

Produktionen av vete 2012/13 justeras ned med 0.3 mt till 122.7 mt, som en följd av lägre estimat i Storbritannien och Finland.SG justerade också ner sina estimat för Argentina, Australien, USA och Ryssland vilket gör att prognosen för globala utgående
lager 2012/13 endast uppgår till 159 mt, vilket är ca 15 mt lägre än USDA’s senaste uppskattning.

Det torra vädret i södra Ryssland, den viktigaste höstvete producerande regionen, håller i sig med endast små nederbördsmängder i delar av Krasnodar. Rysslands Grain Union säger dock att landets spannmålsskörd 2013 kan komma att uppgå till 90-100 mt eller mer, vilket skulle vara en rejäl ökning från den av torkan drabbade skörden 2012 som uppskattas till 76 mt.

Den globala produktionen av vete 2012/13 beräknas sjunka till 649.40 mt från 695.69 mt under 2011/12 enligt AgResource, som samtidigt säger att de fruktar att extrema väderförhållanden kommer att kvarstå under 2013 – en viktigt faktor för de framtida priserna på spannmålsmarknaden.

Fallande priser på vete har fått köpare att komma in i marknaden igen. Jordanien, Libyen och Syrien köpte 50 000 ton, 30 000 ton och 100 000 ton kvarnvete respektive. Tunisien köpte 75 000 ton durum vete. Fysisk efterfrågan verkar alltså finnas på de
här nivåerna, vilket, menar vi, talar för att rekylen är över.

Maltkorn

November 2013-kontraktet rekylerade ner från 269 till 266.50 i veckan som gick. 270 verkar vara ett starkt motstånd.

Potatis

Potatispriset fick stöd på 25 euro per deciton och steg kraftigt i fredags.

Majs

Majspriset (mars 2012) försökte göra ett test av stödet på 709 cent per ton i måndags för en veckan sedan, men stödet höll. I fredags kom nyheten om att man inte kommer att ändra stödet till etanolinblandningen. Det fick priset att hämta sig och stänga på 731 cent i marskontraktet. Överlag ser dock prisutvecklingen i vart fall inte positiv ut ur ett tekniskt perspektiv.

Safras e Mercados senaste rapport visar att sådden av majs i Brasilien nu är avklarad till 71% jämfört med förra veckans 60%. Produktionen av majs 2012/13 förväntas uppgå till 67.9 mt.

Sådden av majs i Argentina går fortsatt framåt om än långsamt. Per den 7 november så var 40% av sådden avklarad, att jämföra med förra årets 57% vid den här tiden. Onormalt höga regnmängder under oktober har försenat sådden och orsakat översvämningar, men väderförhållandena har förbättrats under början på november.

Sojabönor

Vi fortsätter att rekommendera en kort position (såld) i sojabönor. Efter att ha konsoliderat i veckan som gick, slutade veckan med ett nytt kraftigt prisfall i januarikontraktet. Detta signalerar slutet på konsolideringen och vi kan vänta oss att veckan inleds med nya prisfall på sojabönor. Priset, som är nere i samma intervall som rådde i mars till juni, kan falla ner till 1250 cent / bushel, ur ett tekniskt perspektiv. Rädsla i marknaden för ytterligare en höjning av skördeestimatet i januaris USDA-rapport över slutlig skörd, tynger marknaden. Än så länge ser skörden i Sydamerika ut att utveckla sig väl.

Tisdagens Crop Progress från USDA visar att skörden av sojabönor nu i stort sett är klar. Per i söndags så var 96% av den amerikanska sojabönsskörden avklarad, en ökning från förra veckans 93% och i linje med det femåriga genomsnittet vid detta
datum.

Vädret i Brasilien har varit varierande och Mato Grosso, landets största sojabönsproducerande stat, har fått gott om nederbörd under november medan vädret i de södra delarna har blivit allt torrare.

Enligt Safras e Mercado är nu sådden av sojabönor i Brasilien avklarad till 54% jämfört med 42% förra veckan. Celeres säger att 49% av den brasilianska sojabönsskörden 2012/13 nu är såld och att 99% av skörden 2011/12 är såld. Enligt rapport är sådden avklarad till 58%.

Raps

Rapspriset (februari 2013) håller sig starkare än sojabönorna. Det finns ett stöd på 460 euro per ton. Marknaden fick stöd där tidigare i veckan som gick. Den kommande veckan kommer att handla om test av den nivån. Vi rekommenderar en kort position i rapsfrö. Får vi ett brott nedåt av 460-nivån, bör man sälja ännu mer.

Baserat på en nyligen genomförd undersökning bland 5075 tyska lantbrukare som UFOP har gjort uppskattas arealen för höstraps 2013 att uppgå till 1.42 miljoner hektar, ett något lägre estimat än Oil Worlds 1.45 miljoner hektar. Attraktiva priser och gynnsamma väderförhållanden förväntas öka sådd av areal med 9.1%, vilket är en betydande ökning jämfört med den skördade arealen under 2012, särskilt i norr där lantbrukarna har utnyttjat de goda förhållandena vid sådd under augusti och september.

Gris

Grispriset (Dec 12) har rört sig sidledes den senaste veckan. Priset ligger på höga nivåer, nästan lika höga som i somras och uppgången bör ta slut på de här nivåerna.

Grispriset som fann stöd på 70 cent har nu stigit upp till tidigare toppnivåer från i somras. De som legat köpta lean hogs bör nog ta hem vinster på den här nivån och avvakta vad som händer härnäst. 82 cent är en övre gräns, en nivå där priset i juli månad vände ner.

Mjölk

Från EUREX priser på smör och SMP kan vi utläsa att priset för ett kilo mjölk(råvara) har stigit till 3.58 kr per kilo. Den senaste veckans uppgång i börspriset på mjölk beror huvudsakligen på att priset på smör har fortsatt att stiga. Priset på mjölkpulver i Nordeuropa noteras på 2675 euro per ton (förra veckan 2688).

Nedan ser vi priset på smör, som stigit till 3450 euro per ton från förra veckans notering på 3375 euro per ton.

Det börsbaserade priset i svenska kronor beräknas med formeln:

där

BUT = priset på smör i euro per ton
SMP = priset på skummjölkspulver i euro per ton
FX = växelkursen för EURSEK.

På den amerikanska börsen CME i Chicago har priset på Klass 3 mjölk brutit tekniska stöd och fallit av ganska abrupt. I veckan som gick föll terminspriset från 19.45 till 19.04. 19 cent per pund är ett tekniskt stöd. Det är möjligt att stödet är så starkt att det blir en liten rekyl uppåt, men trenden är nedåtriktad. En rekyl uppåt tycker vi ska ses som ett säljtillfälle.

Socker

Priset på socker (mars 2013) befinner sig i en stark baissemarknad. Priset har just noterat nytt årslägsta och ligger i trenden för att söka en ny bottennotering.

Gödsel

Bear sentimentet fortsatte in i början på denna vecka, men sedan dess har priserna stabiliserats och januari kontraktet fann en stödnivå på 365 $ / ton för Yuzhnyy och 410 $ / ton för Egypt.

Branschanalytikerna FMB och Profercy har justerat ned sina förväntningar på urea priserna under Q4 och Q1 utifrån en förändrad syn på handelsbalansen i Urea marknaden som en följd av överraskande höga exportvolymer från producenten Kina under september och oktober. Branschanalytiker förväntar sig nu ett överskott i handelsbalansen under Q4 och medan de fortfarande estimerar ett underskott i handelsbalans under Q1 har de sänkt sina genomsnittliga prisprognoser för kvartalet.

EURSEK

EURSEK steg i veckan som gick, precis som vi förutspådde i förra veckans veckobrev. Det finns emellertid gott om tekniska motstånd på den aktuella kursnivån, varför vi tror att veckan som kommer, kommer att medföra ”sidledes” eller fallande kurs.

USDSEK

USDSEK som vid förra veckobrevets publicering just brutit en viktig motståndsnivå, steg raskt och bröt nästa motståndsnivå. Därmed har USDSEK fritt upp till 6.90. Vi tror med andra ord på en starkare dollar, liksom i förra veckobrevet.

[box]SEB Veckobrev Jordbruksprodukter är producerat av SEB Merchant Banking och publiceras i samarbete och med tillstånd på Råvarumarknaden.se[/box]

Disclaimer

The information in this document has been compiled by SEB Merchant Banking, a division within Skandinaviska Enskilda Banken AB (publ) (“SEB”).

Opinions contained in this report represent the bank’s present opinion only and are subject to change without notice. All information contained in this report has been compiled in good faith from sources believed to be reliable. However, no representation or warranty, expressed or implied, is made with respect to the completeness or accuracy of its contents and the information is not to be relied upon as authoritative. Anyone considering taking actions based upon the content of this document is urged to base his or her investment decisions upon such investigations as he or she deems necessary. This document is being provided as information only, and no specific actions are being solicited as a result of it; to the extent permitted by law, no liability whatsoever is accepted for any direct or consequential loss arising from use of this document or its contents.

About SEB

SEB is a public company incorporated in Stockholm, Sweden, with limited liability. It is a participant at major Nordic and other European Regulated Markets and Multilateral Trading Facilities (as well as some non-European equivalent markets) for trading in financial instruments, such as markets operated by NASDAQ OMX, NYSE Euronext, London Stock Exchange, Deutsche Börse, Swiss Exchanges, Turquoise and Chi-X. SEB is authorized and regulated by Finansinspektionen in Sweden; it is authorized and subject to limited regulation by the Financial Services Authority for the conduct of designated investment business in the UK, and is subject to the provisions of relevant regulators in all other jurisdictions where SEB conducts operations. SEB Merchant Banking. All rights reserved.

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Analys

SEB Metals price forecast update

Publicerat

14 timmar sedan

den

30 november, 2023

Redaktionen

Softer economic growth in 2024 calls for somewhat softer metals prices in 2024. Industrial metals prices as well as other commodity prices exploded during Covid-19 as governments around the world unleashed stimuli in the magnitude of 10x of what was done during the global financial crisis in 2008/09. Consumers shifting spending from services to consumer goods added to the boom. Bloomberg’s industrial metals price index was up 91% in March 2022 versus January 2020 because of this. Global manufacturing PMI peaked in May 2021 and has been fading since and below the 50-line from September 2022 with latest reading at 48.8. Industrial metals prices have faded since their peak in March 2022 but are still 30% higher than they were in January 2020. Even zinc, the worst performing metal, is still 9% above where it was in January 2020. As such one could possibly argue that industrial metals have not yet fully faded from their Covid-19 stimulus boom. One possible explanation could be inflation where US inflation is up 19% over the period. But this still leaves industrial metals up 11% in real terms. Another possible explanation is the big jump in energy prices over the period. While coal and gas prices have fallen back a lot, they are still quite high. The coal price in western Europe is 110% above where it was at the start 2020 and 50% above its 2010-2019 average. Most industrial metals are highly energy intensive to produce with digging and crushing of rocks, smelting, and refining of ore. The current aluminium price of USD 2215/ton is for example well aligned with coal prices. In addition to this there has also been significant closures of zinc and aluminium smelting capacity in Europe which probably have supported prices for these metals.

Global economic growth is forecasted to slow from 3.5% in 2022, to 3.0% in 2023 and then again to 2.9% in 2024 as the big jump in interest rates induce economic pain with a lag. Aligned with this we expect lower industrial metals prices in 2024 than in 2023 though only marginally lower for most of the metals. But the field of metals is wide, and the price action is thus adverse. Copper is likely the metal with the most strained supply and with huge needs in the global energy transition.

Aluminium: Prices will likely be depressed versus marginal costs in 2024. Aluminium from Russia is flowing unhindered to the market. Most is going to China for reprocessing and potentially re-exported while some is going to Turkey and Italy. It is all flowing into the global pool of aluminium and as such impacting the global market balance. The LME 3mth aluminium price is currently well aligned with coal prices and both have traded mostly sideways since June this year. Aluminium premiums in the EU have however fallen 30-40% since mid-June in a sign of weakness there. The global market will likely run a surplus in 2024 with depressed prices versus the marginal cost of production.

Copper: Softer fundamentals in 2024 but with accelerating tightness on the horizon. Copper is currently trading at USD 8470/ton and close to 37% above its early Jan 2020 level. The market is expected to run a slight surplus in 2024 followed by accelerating tightness the following years. Downside price risk for 2024 is thus warranted along with softer global growth. The power of Unions is however getting stronger in Latin America with demands for higher salaries. Strikes have broken out in Peru with production at the Las Bambas copper mine at only 20%. Further strikes and disruptions could quickly put the market into deficit also in 2024.

Nickel: Indonesia pursuing market share over price pushing the price down the cost curve. Indonesia’s nickel production is growing rapidly. Its production reached 1.6 million ton in 2022 (+54% YoY) and accounted for close to 50% of total global supply in 2022. Its share looks set to reach 70% by 2030. Lower prices will stimulate demand and will also force higher cost producers to shut down thus making room for the wave of new supply from Indonesia. Prices will be sluggis the nearest years as Indonesia aims for market share over price.

Zinc: Price has stabilized around USD 2500/t. Weakness in global construction will drive prices lower at times in 2024. The 3mth LME zinc price has fallen from a peak of USD 4499/ton in April 2022 to only USD 2248/ton in May 2023. Since then, it has recovered steadily to USD 2500/ton. Demand could struggle in 2024 as construction globally will likely struggle with high interest rates. But mine closures is a natural counter effect of low prices and will put a floor under prices.

Price outlook

Bjarne Schieldrop
Cheif Commodities Analyst
SEB Commodity Research

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Analys

Now it’s up to OPEC+

Publicerat

2 veckor sedan

den

20 november, 2023

Redaktionen

All eyes are now back at OPEC+ after the recent fall in oil prices along with weakening crude curve structures and weakening economic statistics. OPEC+ will have to step up the game and give solid guidance of what it intends to do in 2024. If Saudi Arabia is to carry the burden alone (with only a little help from Russia) it will likely need to keep its production at around 9.0 m b/d on average for 2024 and drop it down towards 8.5 m b/d in Q1-24. This may be too much to ask from Saudi Arabia and it may demand some of the other OPEC members to step up and join in on the task to regulate the market in 2024. More specifically this means Iraq, Kuwait and UAE. The oil market will likely be quite nervous until a firm message from Saudi/Russia/OPEC+ is delivered to the market some time in December.

Bjarne Schieldrop, Chief analyst commodities at SEB — Bjarne Schieldrop, Chief analyst commodities, SEB

Saudi Arabia may get some help from President Joe Biden though as his energy secretary adviser, Amos Hochstein, has stated that the US will enforce sanctions on Iran on more than 1 m b/d.

Brent crude fell 4.6% ydy to USD 77.4/b and over the last three trading sessions it has lost USD 5.1/b. This morning it is trading only marginally higher at USD 77.6/b which is no vote of confidence. A good dose of rebound this morning would have been a signal that the sell-off yesterday possibly was exaggerated and solely driven by investors with long positions flocking to the exit. So there’s likely more downside to come.

In general there is a quite good relationship between net long speculative positions in Brent crude and WTI versus the global manufacturing cycle. Oil investors overall typically have an aversion of holding long positions in oil when the global economy is slowing down. As of yet there are few signs that the global economic cycle is about to turn. Rather the opposite seems to be the case. Global manufacturing fell in October and yesterday we saw US industrial production fall 0.6% MoM while continued jobless claims rose more than expected and to the highest level in two years. This matches well with the logic that the strong rise in interest rates since March 2022 is inflicting pain on the economy with more pain ahead as the effect comes with a lag.

Most estimates are that the global oil market is running a solid deficit in Q4-23. The IEA has an implied deficit in the global oil market of 1 m b/d in Q4-23 if we assume that OPEC will produce 28 m b/d vs. a call-on-OPEC at 29 m b/d. But prices in the oil market is telling a different story with weakening crude curves, weakening refining margins and a sharp sell-off in oil prices.

For 2024 the general forecasts are that global economic growth will slow, global oil demand growth will slow and also that the need for oil from OPEC will fall from 28.7 m b/d to 28.4 m b/d (IEA). This is a bearish environment for oil. The average Brent crude oil price so far this year is about USD 83/b. It should essentially be expected to deliver lower in 2024 with the negatives mentioned above.

Two things however will likely counter this and they are interconnected. US shale oil activity has been slowing with falling drilling rig count since early December 2022 and that has been happening at an average WTI price of USD 78/b. The result is that total US liquids production is set to grow by only 0.3 m b/d YoY in Q4-24. This allows OPEC+ to support the oil price at USD 80-90/b through 2024 without fear of loosing a significant market share to US oil production. Thus slowing US liquids production and active price management by OPEC+ goes hand in hand. As such we do expect OPEC+ to step up to the task.

So far it has predominantly been Saudi Arabia with a little help from Russia which together proactively have managed the oil market and the oil price through significant cuts. Saudi Arabia produced 10.5 m b/d in April but then cut production rapidly to only 9.0 m b/d which is what it still produces. Its normal production is about 10 m b/d.

What has made the situation more difficult for Saudi Arabia is the combination of solid growth in non-OPEC supply in 2023 (+2.1 m b/d YoY; IEA) but also a substantial revival in production by Venezuela and Iran. The two produced 660 k b/d more in October than they on average did in 2022. So the need for oil from Saudi Arabia is squeezed from both sides.

All eyes are now back at OPEC+ after the recent fall in oil prices along with weakening crude curve structures and weakening economic statistics.

OPEC+ will have to step up the game and give solid guidance of what it intends to do in 2024. If Saudi Arabia is to carry the burden alone (with only a little help from Russia) then it will likely need to keep its production at around 9.0 m b/d on average for 2024 and drop it down towards 8.5 m b/d in Q1-24. This may be too much to ask from Saudi Arabia and it may demand some of the other OPEC members to step up and join in on the task to regulate the market in 2024. More specifically this means Iraq, Kuwait and UAE.

The oil market will likely be quite nervous until a firm message from Saudi/Russia/OPEC+ is delivered to the market some time in December.

Saudi Arabia may get some help from President Joe Biden though as his energy secretary adviser, Amos Hochstein, has stated that the US will enforce sanctions on Iran on more than 1 m b/d.

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Analys

More from Venezuela and Iran means smaller pie for Saudi

Publicerat

1 månad sedan

den

24 oktober, 2023

Redaktionen

Production in Venezuela and Iran is on the rise and is set to rise further in the coming months and in 2024. Combined their production could grow by 0.8 m b/d YoY to 2024 (average year to average year). The IEA projected in its latest OMR (Oct-2023) that call-on-OPEC will fall to 28.3 m b/d in 2024, a decline of 0.5 m b/d. This combination would drive implied call-on-Saudi from 10.4 m b/d in 2023 to only 9.1 m b/d in 2024 and as low as 8.6 m b/d in Q1-24 if Saudi Arabia has to do all the heavy lifting alone. Wider core OPEC cooperation may be required.

The IEA is out in the news today projecting peak oil demand this decade with global demand standing at no more than 102 m b/d towards the end of this decade. If so it would imply a call-on-Non-OPEC of only 66.4 m b/d in 2028 assuming that OPEC in general will demand a market share of 30 m b/d + NGL of 5.6 m b/d. The IEA (Oct-23) projects non-OPEC production to average 68.8 m b/d in 2024. That’s already 2.4 m b/d more than what would be sustainable over time if global oil demand is set to peak later this decade. Oil producers in general cannot have a production growth strategy in a peak oil demand world.

The US has decided to lift sanctions towards Venezuela for six months (18 April) as a measure to tempt it to move towards more democratic processes. And if it does, then the lifting of sanctions could continue after the 6 months. A primary opposition election took place this weekend with lawmaker Maria Corina Machado currently holding 93% of the vote count. Venezuela will next year hold a presidential election but fair play seems unlikely with Maduro in charge. The lifting of sanctions allows Venezuela’s PdV to resume exports to all destinations. Bans on new, foreign investments in the oil and gas sector are also lifted though Russian entities and JV’s are still barred.

Venezuela produced 0.8 m b/d in September and indicates that it can lift production by 0.2 m b/d by year and with more rigs and wells by 0.5 m b/d to 1.3 m b/d in the medium term.

Oil production in Iran has been on a steady rise since its low-point of 2.0 m b/d in 2020. Last year it produced 2.5 m b/d. In September it produced 3.1 m b/d, but Iran’s oil minister says production now is at 3.3 m b/d. Iran’s rising production and exports is not about the US being more lenient in its enforcement of sanctions towards Iran. It is more about Iran finding better ways to circumvent them but even more importantly that China is importing more and more oil from Iran.

Production by Iran and Venezuela is recovering. YoY production from the two could rise by close to 0.8 m b/d in 2024. This will lead to a decline in call-on-Saudi oil.

Oil production by Iran and Venezuela — Source: SEB graph and asessments, Blbrg data and news

The IEA estimated in its latest OMR report that call-on-OPEC will fall from 28.8 m b/d in 2023 to 28.3 m b/d in 2024. If all OPEC members except Saudi Arabia produces the same amount in 2024 as in 2023, then the need for Saudi Arabia’s oil (call-on-Saudi) will fall from a healthy 10.4 m b/d in 2023 to a still acceptable 9.9 m b/d in 2024. Its normal production is roughly 10 m b/d.

If however production by Iran and Venezuela rise by a combined 0.5 m b/d YoY in 2024, then call-on-Saudi will fall to 9.4 m b/d which is not so good but still manageable. But if Iran’s oil minister is correct when he says that its current production now is at 3.3 m b/d, then it is not far fetched to assume that Iran’s oil production may average maybe 3.4-3.5 m b/d in 2024. That would yield a YoY rise of 0.6 m b/d just for Iran. If we also assume that Venezuela manages to lift its production from 0.8 m b/d this year to 1.0 m b/d in 2024, then the combined growth from the two is closer to 0.8 m b/d. That would push call-on-Saudi down to only 9.1 m b/d which is not good at all. It would require Saudi Arabia to produce at its current production of 9.0 m b/d all through 2024.

The IEA further estimates that call-on-OPEC will average 27.7 m b/d in Q1-24. If we assume Iran @ 3.4 m b/d and Venezuela @ 1.0 m b/d then call-on-Saudi in Q1-24 will only be 8.6 m b/d. I.e. Saudi Arabia will have to cut production further to 8.6 m b/d in Q1-24. At that point Saudi Arabia will likely need or like other core OPEC members like Iraq, Kuwait and UAE as well as Russia to join in.

Implied call-on-Saudi. Call-on-OPEC is set to decline from 28.8 m b/d to 28.3 m b/d to 2024. If all OPEC members produced the same in 2024 as in 2023 then call-on-Saudi would fall by 0.5 m b/d to 9.9 m b/d. But if Venezuela and Iran increases their combined production by 0.8 m b/d YoY in 2024 then call-on-Saudi falls to 9.1 m b/d.

If we look a little broader on this topic and also include Libya, Nigeria and Angola we see that this group of OPEC members produced 11.4 m b/d in 2010, 10.1 m b/d in 2017 and only 5.1 m b/d at the low-point in August 2020. The decline by these OPEC members has of course the other OPEC and OPEC+ members to stem the rising flood of US shale oil production. The production from this unfortunate group of OPEC-laggards is however now on the rise reaching 7.5 m b/d in September. With more from Iran and Venezuela it could rise to 8.0 m b/d in 2024. Production from Nigeria and Angola though still looks to be in gradual decline while Libya looks more sideways. So for the time being it is all about the revival of Iran and Venezuela.

The unfortunate OPEC-laggards had a production of 11.4 m b/d in 2010. But production then fell to only 5.1 m b/d in August 2020. It helped the rest of OPEC’s members to manage the huge increase in US shale oil production. Production from these countries are now on the rebound. Though Nigeria and Angola still seems to be in gradual decline.

Oil production of some OPEC countries — Source: SEB graph, Blbrg data

What everyone needs to be attentive to is that call-on-OPEC and even more importantly call-on-Saudi can only erode to a limit before Saudi/OPEC/Russia will have to take action. Especially if the forecast for needed oil from OPEC/Saudi for the nearest 2-3 years is in significant decline. Then they will have to take action in the sense that they stop defending the price and allows the price to fall sharply along with higher production. And yet again it is US shale oil producers who will have to take the brunt of the pain. They are the only oil producers in the world who can naturally and significantly reduce their production rather quickly. I.e. the US shale oil players will have to be punished into obedience, if possible, yet one more time.

We don’t think that it is any immediate risk for this to happen as US shale oil activity is slowing while global oil demand has rebounded following Covid-lockdowns. But one needs to keep a watch on projections for call-on-OPEC and call-on-Saudi stretching 1-2-3 years forward on a continuous basis.

In its medium term oil market outlook, Oil2023, the IEA projected a fairly healthy development for call-on-OPEC to 2028. First bottoming out at 29.4 m b/d in 2024 before rising gradually to 30.6 m b/d in 2028. The basis for this was a slowing though steady rise in global oil demand to 105.7 m b/d in 2028 together with stagnant non-OPEC production due to muted capex spending over the past decade. But this projection has already been significantly dented and reduced in IEA’s latest OMR from October where call-on-OPEC for 2024 is projected at only 28.3 m b/d.

In a statement today the IEA projects that global oil demand will peak this decade and consume no more than 102 m b/d in the late 2020ies due to (in large part) rapid growth in EV sales. This would imply a call-on-OPEC of only 26.9 m b/d in 2028. It is not a viable path for OPEC to produce only 26.9 m b/d in 2028. Especially if production by Iran and Venezuela is set to revive. I.e. OPEC’s pie is shrinking while at the same time Iran and Venezuela is producing more. In this outlook something will have to give and it is not OPEC.

One should here turn this on its head and assume that OPEC will produce 30 m b/d in 2028. Add OPEC NGLs of 5.6 m b/d and we get 35.6 m b/d. If global oil demand in 2028 stands at only 102 m b/d then call-on-Non-OPEC equates to 66.4 m b/d. That is 3.1 m b/d less than IEA’s non-OPEC production projection for 2028 of 69.5 m b/d but also higher than non-OPEC production projection of 68.8 m b/d (IEA, Oct-23) is already 2.4 m b/d too high versus what is a sustainable level.

What this of course naturally means is that oil producers in general cannot have production growth as a strategy in a peak-oil-demand-world with non-OPEC in 2024 already at 2.4 m b/d above its sustainable level.

The US is set to growth its hydrocarbon liquids by 0.5 m b/d YoY in 2024. But in a zero oil demand growth world that is way, way too much.