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Pump jacks operate in front of a drilling rig in an oil field in Midland, Texas U.S. August 22, 2018. Brent crude futures closed below $84 a barrel for the first time since Hamas Islamists' Oct. 7 attack on Israel. A recovery in oil exports from the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries also added to the pressure on oil prices, UBS analyst Giovanni Staunovo said. On the demand side, China's crude oil imports in October showed robust growth but its total exports of goods and services contracted at a quicker pace than expected. "There are concerns in the oil markets about both rising supply and sliding demand," said Mizuho analyst Robert Yawger.

Persons: Nick Oxford, Powell, Craig Erlam, Giovanni Staunovo, Staunovo, Brent, Fiona Cincotta, Neel Kashkari, Jerome Powell, Robert Yawger, It's, Shariq Khan, Trixie Yap, Yuka Obayashi, David Gregorio, Matthew Lewis Organizations: Midland , Texas U.S, REUTERS, bbl, BENGALURU, Brent, U.S, West Texas, Traders, Organization of Petroleum, UBS, U.S . Energy Information Administration, ., Minneapolis Federal, Investors, Thomson Locations: Midland , Texas, Israel, U.S, Bengaluru, Singapore, Tokyo

REUTERS/Andrew Kelly/File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsSummary Oil prices drop on Friday but gain over 1% for the weekHamas releases two US hostages in GazaEarlier, Israeli minister said troops to see Gaza 'from inside'Global oil market already faces supply concernsBENGALURU, Oct 20 (Reuters) - Oil prices settled lower on Friday after the Islamist group Hamas released two U.S. hostages from Gaza, leading to hopes the Israeli-Palestinian crisis could de-escalate without engulfing the rest of the Middle East region and disrupting oil supplies. Brent crude futures fell 22 cents, or 0.2%, to settle at $92.16 a barrel. U.S. West Texas Intermediate crude futures for November delivery , which expired after settlement on Friday, fell 62 cents, or 0.7%, to $88.75 a barrel. Hamas' armed wing released two U.S. hostages from Gaza - a mother and her daughter - "for humanitarian reasons" in response to Qatari mediation efforts in the war with Israel, its spokesman Abu Ubaida said on Friday. "The report took some of the risk premium out of the market," said Phil Flynn, analyst at Price Futures Group.

Persons: Andrew Kelly, Abu Ubaida, Phil Flynn, Yoav Gallant, John Kilduff, Kilduff, Giovanni Staunovo, Brent, Staunovo, Shariq Khan, Paul Carsten, Florence Tan, Sudarshan, Shri Navaratnam, Jason Neely, David Gregorio, Jane Merriman Organizations: REUTERS, Hamas, Brent, . West Texas, Price Futures, Israeli, Pentagon, UBS, U.S . Commodity Futures Trading Commission, Thomson Locations: Manhattan , New York City, U.S, Gaza, BENGALURU, Hamas, Israel, Yemen, New York, Saudi Arabia, Russia

A person puts gas in a vehicle at a gas station in Manhattan, New York City, U.S., August 11, 2022. Brent crude futures rose $1.00, or 1.1%, to $93.26 a barrel by 11:24 a.m. EDT (1524 GMT). Both front-month contracts were headed for a second weekly gain on heightened fears of the Middle East conflict spreading. "The Middle East remains a big focus of the market because of fears of a region-wide conflict that would likely involve a disruption of oil supplies," said John Kilduff, a partner at New York-based Again Capital. "Venezuelan oil production will not be a significant factor in shaping the global oil balance in the foreseeable future," Tamas Varga of oil broker PVM wrote in a note.

Persons: Andrew Kelly, Brent, John Kilduff, Kilduff, Yoav Gallant, Washington's, Phil Flynn, Tamas Varga, PVM, Shariq Khan, Paul Carsten, Florence Tan, Sudarshan, Shri Navaratnam, Jason Neely, David Gregorio Our Organizations: REUTERS, . West Texas, Israeli, Pentagon, . Strategic Petroleum Reserve, Price Futures, Reuters, Thomson Locations: Manhattan , New York City, U.S, Gaza, Venezuela, BENGALURU, Israel, New York, Yemen, Saudi Arabia, Russia, OPEC

Oct 3 (Reuters) - BP Plc (BP.L) is exploring the sale of a 49% stake in its U.S. oil and gas pipeline network in the Gulf of Mexico, hoping to raise as much as $1 billion, according to people familiar with the matter. While it boosted its shareholder payout by 10% in second-quarter earnings in August, BP's net debt stood at $23.7 billion. BP has placed its stakes in U.S. Gulf of Mexico pipelines in a new company in which it will hold a 51% position and sell the rest, the sources said. The pipelines entity generates 12-month earnings before interest, tax, depreciation and amortization of around $200 million, the sources added. Among the pipelines in which BP holds stakes are the 161-mile Mars Oil Pipeline, the 89-mile Endymion Oil Pipeline and the 115-mile Cleopatra Gas Pipeline, according to its website.

Persons: Bernard Looney, Shariq Khan, David French, Ron Bousso, Cynthia Osterman Organizations: BP Plc, BP, Argos, Pipeline, Gas, Sixth Street Partners, Sixth, Bloomberg News, Thomson Locations: Gulf of Mexico, Gulf, Mexico, U.S . Gulf of Mexico, Bengaluru, New York, London

Investors had expected Saudi Arabia and Russia to extend voluntary cuts into October, but the three-month extension was unexpected. "This is a clear indication that oil prices trump volume (for Saudi Arabia)," said Jorge Leon, senior vice president at Rystad Energy. "These bullish moves significantly tighten the global oil market and can only result in one thing: higher oil prices worldwide," Leon added. Both Saudi Arabia and Russia said they would review the supply cuts monthly, and could modify them depending on market conditions. Along with the Saudi supply cuts, which began in July, prospects of the U.S. economy avoiding a hard recession have helped lift oil demand and prices in recent months.

Persons: Nick Oxford, Brent, Goldman Sachs, Jorge Leon, Leon, Giovanni Staunovo, Shariq Khan, Natalie Grover, Katya Golubkova, Andrew Hayley, Andrea Ricci, Nick Macfie, Timothy Gardner Organizations: Midland , Texas U.S, REUTERS, Brent, . West Texas, Investors, Rystad Energy, UBS, Thomson Locations: Midland , Texas, Saudi Arabia, Russia, BENGALURU, 4Q23, U.S, Saudi

Meanwhile, U.S. West Texas Intermediate crude (WTI) October futures rose $2.42, or about 2.8%, to $87.97 a barrel, also a 10-month high. Investors had expected Saudi Arabia and Russia to extend voluntary cuts into October, but the three-month extension was unexpected"It would appear they're trying to double down and capitalize on the recent price moves. Both countries said they would review the supply cuts monthly, and could modify them depending on market conditions. Prospects of the U.S. economy avoiding a hard recession have helped lift oil demand and prices in recent months. Brent futures, which are used to price over three-quarters of the world's traded oil, have gained by about 26% since late June, after Riyadh first announced its voluntary cuts.

Persons: Nick Oxford, Goldman Sachs, Craig Erlam, Brent, Giovanni Staunovo, Natalie Grover, Katya Golubkova, Andrew Hayley, Andrea Ricci Organizations: Midland , Texas U.S, REUTERS, Brent, West Texas, Investors, Reuters, bbl, UBS, Thomson Locations: Midland , Texas, Saudi Arabia, Russia, BENGALURU, U.S, 4Q23, Riyadh, London, Tokyo, Beijing

Distillate inventories, which include diesel and heating oil, were by late August about 15% below the five-year average for this time of year, according to the Energy Information Administration. "We are living barrel to barrel and there is just no room for errors in the system," Price Futures Group analyst Phil Flynn said. Refiners have failed to build sizable stocks ahead of the seasonal surge in demand due to tight supplies of medium and heavy crude oil grades that are distillate-rich. Seasonal overhauls could take out around 2 million bpd of the country's 18.1 million bpd refining capacity, he said. "Even with soft demand, diesel inventories are stubbornly low, and cracks have rallied in search of supply or demand-side relief before winter," the analysts said.

Persons: Bing Guan, Phil Flynn, Refiners, Bjarne Schieldrop, SEB, Robert Yawger, Shariq Khan, Laura Sanicola, Marguerita Choy Organizations: Angeles Refinery, California Air Resources Board, Energy Information Administration, Futures, Organization Petroleum Exporting, Saudi, Bank of America, Thomson Locations: Angeles, California, Carson , California, U.S, Europe, OPEC, Ukraine, Garyville , Louisiana

The weather system is not expected to hit major oil producing platforms in the U.S. Gulf of Mexico. However, oil major Chevron Corp (CVX.N) evacuated some staff from three platforms in the region. Expectations of a steep decline in U.S. crude oil stockpiles have also benefited oil prices, UBS analyst Giovanni Staunovo said. U.S. crude oil inventories are expected to have dropped by 3.3 million barrels in the latest week, according to an extended Reuters poll on Tuesday. "Even with the potential for some demand destruction (from hurricane Idalia), the coming crude oil supply squeeze is becoming more painfully obvious," said Price Futures Group analyst Phil Flynn.

Persons: Hurricane Idalia, Idalia, Robert Yawger, Yawger, Giovanni Staunovo, Baker Hughes, Phil Flynn, Shariq Khan, Natalie Grover, Emily Chow, Josie Kao, Nick Zieminski Organizations: Kyodo, REUTERS Acquire, Companies, Florida U.S, Hurricane, Brent, U.S, West Texas, Federal Reserve, Hurricane Center, Labor, Chevron Corp, Chevron, UBS, American Petroleum Institute, Futures, Thomson Locations: Idemitsu, Ichihara, Tokyo, Japan, BENGALURU, Florida, Miami, U.S . Gulf of Mexico, Mexico, Gulf of Mexico, Bengaluru, London, Singapore, Houston

Mandatory credit Kyodo/via REUTERS Acquire Licensing RightsBENGALURU, Aug 29 (Reuters) - Oil prices edged higher on Tuesday as Hurricane Idalia intensified as it headed towards Florida's Gulf Coast, threatening to hit crude oil supplies in an already tightening market. Brent crude oil futures rose 34 cents, or 0.4%, to $84.76 a barrel by 11:44 a.m. EDT [1544 GMT], while the U.S. West Texas Intermediate futures rose 36 cents, or 0.5%, to $80.46 a barrel. U.S. crude oil inventories are expected to have dropped in the latest week, according to a preliminary Reuters poll on Monday. On the demand front, investors are monitoring data from major economies for further clues on interest rates this year and next. Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell on Friday said the U.S. central bank may need to raise interest rates further to cool stubborn inflation.

Persons: Idalia, Phil Flynn, Jerome Powell, Shariq Khan, Natalie Grover, Emily Chow, Louise Heavens, David Goodman, Mike Harrison Organizations: Kyodo, REUTERS Acquire, Rights, Brent, U.S . West Texas, Chevron, Marathon Petroleum, American Petroleum Institute, Futures, Federal, Thomson Locations: Idemitsu, Ichihara, Tokyo, Japan, Gulf, U.S, Florida, Cuba, Mexico, Garyville , Louisiana, United States, Beijing, Bengaluru, London, Singapore, Houston

Meanwhile, Hurricane Idalia is expected to strengthen into a major hurricane with maximum sustained winds of 125 miles per hour (201 kilometers per hour) before hitting the northwest coast of Florida early on Wednesday, according to the U.S. National Hurricane Center (NHC). The weather system is not expected to hit major oil producing platforms in the U.S. Gulf of Mexico. However, oil major Chevron Corp (CVX.N) evacuated some staff from three platforms in the region. Production was continuing at Chevron-operated Gulf of Mexico oil and gas facilities. U.S. crude oil inventories are expected to have dropped in the latest week, according to a preliminary Reuters poll on Monday.

Persons: Brent, Hurricane Idalia, Idalia, Robert Yawger, Yawger, Shariq Khan, Natalie Grover, Emily Chow, David Goodman, Mike Harrison, Josie Kao Organizations: Kyodo, REUTERS Acquire, bbl U.S, Hurricane, . West Texas, Brent, U.S, Federal Reserve, National Hurricane Center, Labor, Chevron Corp, Chevron, Marathon Petroleum, American Petroleum Institute, Thomson Locations: Idemitsu, Ichihara, Tokyo, Japan, Florida, BENGALURU, U.S . Gulf of Mexico, Mexico, Gulf of Mexico, Garyville , Louisiana, United States, Bengaluru, London, Singapore, Houston

Brent crude rose 15 cents, or 0.2%, to $83.36 a barrel, while U.S. West Texas Intermediate crude rose 16 cents, or 0.2%, to $79.05 a barrel. Prices traded lower for the majority of the session, before pushing higher in the last half hour of trading. Investor caution on the eve of his remarks lifted the safe-haven dollar, which makes oil more expensive for holders of other currencies, denting demand. Euro zone business activity also declined more than expected and Britain's economy looked set to shrink in the current quarter. On the supply side, Iran's crude oil output will reach 3.4 million barrels per day (bpd) by the end of September, the country's oil minister was quoted as saying by state media, even though U.S. sanctions remain in place.

Persons: Brent, Giovanni Staunovo, Jackson, Jerome Powell, Craig Erlam, Erlam, Shariq Khan, Ahmad Ghaddar, Mohi Narayan, Kim Coghill, David Evans, David Gregorio, Deepa Babington Organizations: cnsphoto, REUTERS, bbl, U.S, Fed, West Texas, UBS, U.S . Federal, Federal Reserve, Thomson Locations: Zhoushan, Zhejiang province, China, BENGALURU, Europe, New York, Amsterdam, Rotterdam, Antwerp, U.S ., Japan, Venezuela, American

Brent crude fell 16 cents, or 0.2%, to $83.05 a barrel by 11:41 a.m. EDT (1541 GMT). U.S. West Texas Intermediate crude fell 12 cents, or 0.2%, to $78.77 a barrel. "Disappointing data and nerves that the Federal Reserve could reinforce a hawkish stance are weighing on oil," said Fiona Cincotta, analyst at City Index. On the supply side, Iran's crude oil output will reach 3.4 million barrels per day (bpd) by the end of September, the country's oil minister was quoted as saying by state media, even though U.S. sanctions remain in place. U.S. crude inventories (USOILC=ECI) fell by 6.1 million barrels in the week to Aug. 18 to 433.5 million barrels, compared with analysts' expectations in a Reuters poll for a 2.8 million-barrel drop.

Persons: Jerome Powell, Brent, Fiona Cincotta, Jackson, Powell, Shariq Khan, Ahmad Ghaddar, Mohi Narayan, Kim Coghill, David Evans, David Gregorio Our Organizations: cnsphoto, REUTERS, Fed, U.S . Federal, . West Texas, Federal, Wednesday Japan, Federal Reserve, Organization of, Petroleum, Thomson Locations: Zhoushan, Zhejiang province, China, BENGALURU, U.S, American, Saudi Arabia

An aerial view shows a crude oil tanker at an oil terminal off Waidiao island in Zhoushan, Zhejiang province, China January 4, 2023. West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude futures gained 86 cents, or 1.1%, to settle at $81.25 a barrel, and Brent crude futures rose 68 cents, or 0.8%, to settle at $84.80 a barrel. Those concerns, spurred on by output cuts from the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries and allies, helped oil prices gain for seven straight weeks since June. Higher borrowing costs can impede economic growth and in turn reduce overall demand for oil. Hatfield said he expects demand to hold up in China despite its slowing economy and forecast oil prices would trade between $75 to $90 a barrel over the coming months.

Persons: Brent, WTI, Rob Haworth, Haworth, Jay Hatfield, Hatfield, Shariq Khan, Natalie Grover, Paul Carsten, Sudarshan, Shri Navaratnam, Jamie Freed, Conor Humphries, Jane Merriman, Barbara Lewis, David Gregorio Our Organizations: REUTERS, West Texas, Brent, Organization of, Petroleum, U.S, Bank Asset Management, U.S . Federal Reserve, Infrastructure Capital Management, Thomson Locations: Zhoushan, Zhejiang province, China, BENGALURU

An aerial view shows a crude oil tanker at an oil terminal off Waidiao island in Zhoushan, Zhejiang province, China January 4, 2023. "Prices are likely to remain range-bound for now," Haworth said, adding that demand is in question for investors worried by the weak data from China. Higher borrowing costs can impede economic growth and in turn reduce overall demand for oil. Oil benchmarks were further depressed by seasonal demand weakness heading into the autumn, said Jay Hatfield, CEO of Infrastructure Capital Management. Hatfield said he expects demand to hold up in China despite its slowing economy and forecast oil prices would trade between $75 to $90 a barrel over the coming months.

Persons: Brent, Rob Haworth, Haworth, Jay Hatfield, Hatfield, WTI, Natalie Grover, Paul Carsten, Sudarshan, Shri Navaratnam, Jamie Freed, Conor Humphries, Jane Merriman, Barbara Lewis Organizations: REUTERS, U.S . West Texas, U.S, Bank Asset Management, U.S . Federal Reserve, Infrastructure Capital Management, Organization of, Petroleum, Thomson Locations: Zhoushan, Zhejiang province, China, BENGALURU, U.S, London, Singapore

Consumers purchase gasoline at a gas station as a plane approaches to land at the airport in San Diego, California October 8, 2012. National retail gasoline prices will average $3.90 a gallon this month, predict analysts at Goldman Sachs. Jones said he was relieved prices were not close to the $5 a gallon level of last summer. Total U.S. gasoline stocks this month fell to 216.4 million barrels, the fifth decline in six weeks, according to U.S. government data. Reporting by Laura Sanicola and Shariq Khan; editing by Stephanie Kelly and Aurora EllisOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Persons: Mike Blake, Goldman Sachs, Martin Jones, Jones, Irving Oil's, Patrick De Haan, Laura Sanicola, Shariq, Stephanie Kelly, Aurora Ellis Organizations: REUTERS, Consumers, American Automobile Association, Toyota Corolla, Washington , D.C, U.S . Midwest, Total U.S, U.S . National Oceanic, Atmospheric Administration, NOAA, Hurricanes, Thomson Locations: San Diego , California, California, Washington, Massachusetts, Washington ,, U.S, Ohio, Michigan, Whiting , Indiana, New Brunswick, Canada, Trainer ,, Texas, Gulf

Brent crude futures rose 41 cents, or 0.5%, to settle $86.81 a barrel, while U.S. West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude futures gained 37 cents, or 0.5%, to settle at $83.19. The IEA estimated that global oil demand hit a record 103 million barrels per day in June and could scale another peak this month. Meanwhile, output cuts from Saudi Arabia and Russia set the stage for a sharp decline in inventories over the rest of 2023, which IEA said could drive oil prices even higher. On Thursday, the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) said it expects global oil demand to rise by 2.44 million bpd this year, unchanged from its previous forecast. The steady oil rig count indicates U.S. producers are maintaining discipline about drilling and exploration, said Eric Freedman, Chief Investment Officer at U.S. Bank Asset Management.

Persons: Dado, Brent, Baker Hughes, Craig Erlam, WTI, Eric Freedman, Shariq Khan, Ahmad Ghaddar, Andrew Hayley, Elaine Hardcastle, Marguerita Choy, Cynthia Osterman, David Gregorio Our Organizations: REUTERS, International Energy Agency, Brent, U.S, West Texas, IEA, Organization of, Petroleum, Federal Reserve, Bank Asset Management, Thomson Locations: Baker Hughes BENGALURU, Saudi Arabia, Russia, Ukraine, U.S, China, June's

Saudi Arabia on Thursday extended a voluntary oil production cut of 1 million barrels per day to the end of September, keeping the door open for another extension. Russia has also elected to reduce its oil exports by 300,000 barrels per day next month. A view shows branded oil tanks at Saudi Aramco oil facility in Abqaiq, Saudi Arabia October 12, 2019. UBS said it expects Brent prices to trade in the $85 to $90 per barrel range over the coming months. Earlier on Wednesday, the U.S. Energy Information Administration reported that the country's crude oil inventory declined by a record 17 million barrels last week as exports and refiners' input of crude oil ramped up in the heart of summer travel season.

Persons: Brent, Alexander Novak, Maxim, Shariq Khan, Natalie Grover, Arathy, Jason Neely, Kirsten Donovan, David Gregorio, Leslie Adler, Deepa Babington Organizations: Saudi, bbl, UBS, U.S . West Texas Intermediate, Organization of, Petroleum, REUTERS, U.S . Energy Information Administration, Bank of England, Thomson Locations: Russia, Saudi Arabia, U.S, Russian, OPEC, Saudi Aramco, Abqaiq, Bengaluru, London, Houston, Singapore

Brent crude futures rose 74 cents, or 0.9%, to $85.88 a barrel by 11:13 a.m. EDT (1513 GMT). Both benchmarks were set for their longest streak of weekly gains this year. Russia has also elected to reduce its oil exports by 300,000 bpd next month. A view shows branded oil tanks at Saudi Aramco oil facility in Abqaiq, Saudi Arabia October 12, 2019. UBS said it expects Brent prices to trade in the $85 to $90 per barrel range over the coming months.

Persons: Brent, Maxim, Alexander Novak, Shariq Khan, Natalie Grover, Arathy, Jason Neely, Kirsten Donovan, David Gregorio Our Organizations: Saudi, bbl, UBS BENGALURU, Brent, . West Texas Intermediate, UBS, REUTERS, Organization of, Petroleum, Bank of England, Thomson Locations: Russia, Saudi Arabia, Saudi Aramco, Abqaiq, Russian, OPEC, U.S, Bengaluru, London, Houston, Singapore

More actively traded October Brent crude futures rose $1.02, or 1.2%, to settle at $85.43 a barrel. The September Brent contract, which expired at settlement on Monday, rose 0.7% to close at $85.56 a barrel. U.S. West Texas Intermediate crude futures rallied $1.22, or 1.5%, to $81.80 a barrel. Reuters GraphicsPump jacks operate at sunset in an oil field in Midland, Texas U.S. August 22, 2018. REUTERS/Nick OxfordSaudi Arabia is expected to extend a voluntary oil output cut of 1 million barrels per day (bpd) for another month to include September.

Persons: Goldman Sachs, Brent, WTI, Nick Oxford, Edward Moya, Phil Flynn, Shariq Khan, Natalie Grover, Florence, Mohi Narayan, Christina Fincher, Louise Heavens, David Evans, Nick Macfie, Paul Simao Organizations: Saudi, . West Texas, Midland , Texas U.S, REUTERS, Organization of Petroleum, Reuters, Strategic Petroleum Reserve, Futures, Thomson Locations: Riyadh, OPEC, Goldman Sachs BENGALURU, Midland , Texas, Nick Oxford Saudi Arabia, Saudi, U.S, India, Bengaluru, London, Florence Tan, Singapore, New Delhi

The complex interplay between the transition, policy, economic performance and consumer preferences have made it harder than ever to forecast gasoline demand. Since then, the post-pandemic transition to a hybrid workplace has cut fuel demand for commuting. With the difficulty of predicting where gasoline demand goes from here, the EIA has revised its forecast several times this year. In January, it pegged demand this year at 8.74 million bpd, a fall from 8.76 million bpd last year. JPMorgan estimates that efficiency gains and EV sales wiped around 100,000 bpd from gasoline demand last year.

Persons: Aimee Dilger, Ciaran Healy, Healy, Joe Biden, Barack Obama, Biden, Alex Hodes, Patrick De Haan, Shariq Khan, Simon Webb, Marguerita Choy Organizations: REUTERS, U.S, International Energy Agency, Energy Information Administration, EIA, Reuters, IMPACT, JPMorgan, Trump, EV, Environmental Protection Agency, Reuters Graphics U.S, StoneX, Thomson Locations: Wilkes, Barre , Pennsylvania, U.S, Midwest, Paris, Russia, Ukraine

"The oil market is starting to slowly price in a looming supply crunch," Price Futures Group analyst Phil Flynn said. "Global supplies are starting to tighten and that could accelerate dramatically in the coming weeks. A shutdown of the grain corridor could hit supplies of ethanol and biofuels that are blended with oil products at a time that global grain markets are already tightening, which would lead to refiners using more crude oil, Flynn said. Meanwhile, U.S. energy firms this week reduced the number of oil rigs by seven, their biggest cut since early June, energy services firm Baker Hughes said. At 530, the U.S. oil rig count, an early indicator of future output, is at its lowest since March 2022.

Persons: WTI, Phil Flynn, Flynn, Baker Hughes, Suhail, Mazrouei, Rob Haworth, Shariq Khan, Natalie Grover, Arathy, Andrew Hayley, Marguerita Choy, David Holmes Organizations: Brent, U.S . West Texas, Futures, Energy Information Administration, EIA, UAE Energy, Reuters, P, U.S, Bank Asset Management, Thomson Locations: Russia, Ukraine, China BENGALURU, U.S, Bengaluru, London, Houston, Beijing

Brent crude futures rose $1.43, or 1.8%, to settle at $81.07 a barrel. U.S. West Texas Intermediate crude futures rose $1.42, or 1.9%, to settle at $77.07 a barrel, the highest since April 25. "The oil market is starting to slowly price in a looming supply crunch as it is on track for its fourth week of price gains," Price Futures Group analyst Phil Flynn said. In the U.S., crude inventories (USOILC=ECI) have fallen, amid a jump in crude exports and higher refinery utilisation, the Energy Information Administration (EIA) said on Wednesday. Data from the world's second-biggest oil consumer suggests the government's 5% annual growth target will be missed.

Persons: Brent, Phil Flynn, Flynn, Suhail, Mazrouei, Jay Hatfield, Rob Haworth, Shariq Khan, Natalie Grover, Arathy, Andrew Hayley, Marguerita Choy, David Holmes Organizations: Friday, Brent, . West Texas, Futures, Energy Information Administration, EIA, UAE Energy, Reuters, Infrastructure Capital Management, P, U.S, Bank Asset Management, Thomson Locations: Russia, Ukraine, China BENGALURU, U.S, China, Bengaluru, London, Houston, Beijing

Brent crude futures rose 90 cents, or 1.1%, to $80.54 a barrel by 11:36 a.m. EDT [1536 GMT]. U.S. West Texas Intermediate futures rose 97 cents, or 1.3%, to $76.62 a barrel. "The oil market is starting to slowly price in a looming supply crunch as it is on track for its fourth week of price gains," said Price Futures Group analyst Phil Flynn. "Global supplies are starting to tighten and that could accelerate dramatically in the coming weeks. Data from the world's second-biggest oil consumer suggests the government's 5% annual growth target will be missed.

Persons: Phil Flynn, Flynn, Suhail, Mazrouei, Jay Hatfield, Shariq Khan, Natalie Grover, Arathy, Andrew Hayley, Conor Humphries, David Holmes Organizations: Brent, . West Texas, Futures, UN, Energy Information Administration, UAE Energy, Reuters, Infrastructure Capital Management, Thomson Locations: Russia, Ukraine, China BENGALURU, U.S, China, Bengaluru, London, Houston, Beijing

Brent crude futures fell $1.31, or 1.7%, to $80.05 a barrel by 11:18 a.m. EDT (1518 GMT). U.S. West Texas Intermediate crude futures fell $1.34, or 1.7%, to $75.55 a barrel. A stronger greenback reduces oil demand, making crude more expensive for investors holding other currencies. Oil prices remained on course for a weekly gain of more than 2%, after supply disruptions in Libya and Nigeria heightened concerns that the markets will tighten in coming months. Separately, Shell suspended loadings of Nigeria's Forcados crude oil owing to a potential leak at a terminal.

Persons: Brent, Dollar, John Kilduff, John Evans, Shariq Khan, Natalie Grover, Sudarshan, Katya Golubkova, David Evans, Mark Potter, Louise Heavens, David Gregorio Our Organizations: Brent, . West Texas, Again, U.S, Shell, Thomson Locations: BENGALURU, Libya, Nigeria, Bengaluru, London, Singapore, Tokyo

U.S. West Texas Intermediate crude rose $2.15 from Monday's close, or 3.1%, to $71.91 a barrel by 11:36 a.m. EDT (1536 GMT). Brent crude futures rose 45 cents, or 0.5%, to $76.66 a barrel, after gaining $1.60 a barrel on Tuesday. "The July voluntary cuts and the extension into August should considerably tighten the oil market, but investors will stay on the sidelines until oil inventories will show substantial draws," said UBS analyst Giovanni Staunovo. The American Petroleum Association will report its weekly U.S. crude oil and products inventory report after 4:30 p.m. EDT (2030 GMT) on Wednesday. Morgan Stanley on Wednesday lowered its oil price forecasts, predicting a market surplus in the first half of 2024 with non-OPEC supply growing faster than demand next year.

Persons: Prince Abdulaziz bin Salman, Giovanni Staunovo, Staunovo, Morgan Stanley, Shariq Khan, Natalie Grover, Yuka Obayashi, Muyu Xu, David Goodman, Jan Harvey, David Gregorio Our Organizations: Brent's Tuesday, Brent, . West Texas, American Petroleum Association, U.S . Energy, Administration, U.S, Thomson Locations: Saudi Arabia, Russia, BENGALURU, Monday's, Algeria, Saudi, OPEC, China, Europe

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