Since the start of the year, Brent oil has been trading $4-7 above fair value, reflecting risks of reduced Russian and Iranian oil exports. Some risk premium is justified given the substantial figures involved: nearly 20% of the global Aframax fleet currently faces sanctions. Russia has previously defied expectations of supply disruptions, and it is reasonable to assume that its export flows will remain resilient. However, application of sanctions on Russian energy sector as leverage in future negotiations could go either way, indicating that a zero risk premium is not appropriate. The current $4 premium for potential disruption in Iranian oil flows might be overestimated. The market anticipates up to 1.3 mbd drop in Iranian oil exports, but this week’s replacement of Iran hawk with Iran dove as Pentagon’s next policy chief for the Middle East could signal a shift in the policy.
Speaker:
Natasha Kaneva, Head of Global Commodities Research
This podcast was recorded on 24 January 2025.
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