A pump jack operates at a well site leased by Devon Energy Production Co. near Guthrie, Oklahoma. Nick Oxford, Reuters
Julian Lee, World Oil/Bloomberg: The oil price is now controlled by just three men
NEW YORK CITY (Bloomberg) -- OPEC has lost what control of the oil market it ever had. The actions (or tweets) of three men — Presidents Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin and Crown Prince Mohammed Bin Salman — will determine the course of oil prices in 2019 and beyond. But of course they each want different things.
While OPEC struggles to find common purpose, the U.S., Russia and Saudi Arabia dominate global supply. Together they produce more oil than the 15 members of OPEC. All three are pumping at record rates and each could raise output again next year, although they may not all choose to do so.
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WNU Editor: The U.S. oil industry and the companies pursuing new oil extraction technologies have more power than President Trump when it comes to oil prices, or to put it bluntly, they are the ones who are currently driving oil price decisions and strategies.