Oil may not escape a recession
Those who believe a global recession has been avoided may be mistaken, with huge ramifications for the oil market in 2024
The theme for oil demand expectations at the beginning of 2024 is that the US and Chinese economies will prove their resilience and global crude consumption patterns will hit new records. It is a fragile and, arguably, misplaced assumption that could see oil prices slump and OPEC’s market management tested to its limits as supply tries not to overwhelm demand. Oil demand will increase by 1.1m b/d in 2024, according to the IEA. This is 130,000b/d above the agency’s previous estimate as it now assumes a better economic outlook for the US and a soft landing. OPEC echoes this bullishness, with its December oil market report highlighting an increase of 2.2m b/d, which is the same as its November
Also in this section
9 March 2026
Petroleum Economist analysis sees increases in output from Saudi Arabia, Venezuela and Kazakhstan among others before region’s murky descent
9 March 2026
Energy sanctions are becoming an increasingly prominent tool of US foreign policy, with the country’s growth in oil and gas production allowing it to impose pressure on rivals without jeopardising its own energy security or that of its allies, argues Matthew McManus, a visiting fellow at the National Center for Energy Analytics
6 March 2026
The March 2026 issue of Petroleum Economist is out now!
6 March 2026
After Europe’s rapid buildout of floating LNG import capacity, Exmar CEO Carl-Antoine Saverys says future growth in floating gas infrastructure will increasingly be driven by developing markets as lower prices, rising energy demand and the need to replace coal unlock new opportunities for unconventional and tailor-made solutions






