Oil prices down

LONDON. — Oil prices slipped yesterday, giving up some recent gains before a meeting of oil producers that could extend production limits aimed at clearing a glut in supplies that has depressed the market for more than three years.

Ministers from the Organisation of the Petroleum Exporting Countries, Russia and other producers meet in Vienna today and are due to consider extending output cuts that began in January. OPEC and its allies have agreed to reduce output by about 1,8 million barrels per day (bpd) until March 2018 in an attempt to empty inventories. Many analysts now expect them to extend the deal, possibly to the end of next year.

“The bull run in the oil market is running out of steam as unease builds ahead of tomorrow’s OPEC/ non-OPEC meeting,” said Stephen Brennock, analyst at London brokerage PVM Oil Associates.

“The (oil futures) contracts have performed well in recent sessions but are struggling for traction,” Brennock added.

Brent crude oil LCOc1 was down 40 cents at $55,89 a barrel by 1115 GMT. US light crude was 50 cents lower at $50,19. Both contracts have risen more than 15 percent over the last three months as global oil supply has tightened.

OPEC’s efforts have been hampered by higher production in some other parts of the world, including the United States, where shale oil production is reaching record highs. Recent hurricanes in the Gulf of Mexico have also pushed up crude oil inventories in some parts of the United States as US refineries have been shut by flooding. US commercial crude oil stocks C-STK-T-EIA rose for a third straight week, building by 4,6 million barrels in the week ending September 15 to 472,83 million barrels.