Brent futures tumbled by more than $1 a barrel on Tuesday as talks this week between world powers and Iran could lead to an easing of sanctions against the oil-rich country. Also bearish for Brent was the resumption of oil exports from Libya. The six major world powers and Iran will start talks on Wednesday to try to forge an interim deal on Tehran's nuclear program.
US President Barack Obama on Tuesday said Iran would make progress in its ability to build a nuclear weapon if no deal on its nuclear program was realised. He urged Congress to hold off on tightening sanctions against Teheran while talks continue. Oil exports from Libya's western Mellitah port have resumed after protests ended, allowing a large oilfield to ramp up production that could reach over 80,000 barrels per day (bpd) by Wednesday.
"The bearish news out of Libya is really weighing on the Brent," said John Kilduff, a partner at Again Capital LLC. "That resumption [of exports] is helping to pressure it right now, as well as the hopes for the Iran meetings tomorrow." Sanctions on Iran have kept around 1 million barrels per day (bpd) of oil from the global market and any deal could allow some of that oil to be sold, depressing a market that is already well supplied.
January Brent crude fell $1.38 to $107.09 a barrel by 2 pm EST (1900 GMT), down for a third straight session. US crude for December rose 36 cents to $93.39 after earlier falling to a fresh four-month low of $92.43. US oil rose earlier on the back of higher oil product prices after news of a fire at Total's 360,000 barrel per day (bpd) Antwerp refinery in Belgium. The fire at Europe's second-largest refinery killed at least one person and halted gasoline production.
Product prices reversed course to post losses later in the session as the market absorbed the news of the explosion and looked ahead to increased runs as US Gulf Coast refineries emerge from maintenance season. Sinking Brent prices narrowed its premium over US oil by $2 from an earlier price of $15.01. Traders also awaited oil inventory data. US crude inventories were forecast to have increased by 900,000 barrels last week, while the gasoline supply fell by 300,000 barrels, according to a Reuters poll. Industry group the American Petroleum Institute will release its weekly data at 4:30 pm EST (2130 GMT), while the US Energy Information Administration will report its data on Wednesday at 10:30 am EST (1530 GMT).
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