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U.S. Energy Policy Undermined by OPEC

u-s-energy-policy-undermined-by-opec
A 3D-printed oil pump jack is seen in front of the OPEC logo in this illustration picture, April 14, 2020. | Image by Dado Ruvic, Reuters

Last week, the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) agreed to reduce oil production by a substantial 2 million barrels per day starting next month.

The news comes amid an already strained global energy market driven partly by Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and subsequent sanctions against the former by Western nations.

The announcement pushed oil prices higher, with West Texas Intermediate futures appreciating almost 1%.

U.S. Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen claimed OPEC’s decision will be detrimental to the world’s economy, particularly developing countries.

She told the Financial Times, “I think OPEC’s decision is unhelpful and unwise — it’s uncertain what impact it will end up having, but certainly, it’s something that, to me, did not seem appropriate, under the circumstances we face.”

Early in the COVID-19 pandemic, the oil conglomerate dropped output considerably, implementing a record cut of 10 million barrels per day in response to plummeting demand.

Since then, OPEC has slowly increased production levels, but next month’s scheduled drop marks a course reversal.

Reacting to OPEC’s move, the Biden administration claimed it would drain an additional 10 million barrels of oil in November from the country’s Strategic Petroleum Reserves (SPR), which held only 416.4 million barrels of oil at the end of September, the lowest level in nearly four decades.

The reserve serves as a massive emergency store of federally-owned crude oil. It provides the U.S. government with a tool to soften disruptions by strategically releasing oil in the energy market.

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According to the White House, OPEC’s action is “a reminder of why it is so critical that the United States reduce its reliance on foreign sources of fossil fuels.”

While many countries and companies have accelerated efforts to ditch fossil fuels, recent challenges call into question how realistic these goals are, as previously reported in The Dallas Express.

Balancing a reduction in domestic oil consumption with the country’s energy demands poses a specific challenge to Biden, according to Matthew Continetti of the American Enterprise Institute.

At a time when the administration is seeking to secure energy sources for the United States, detractors can point to the cancellation of the Keystone XL pipeline and other similar actions from the administration as inconsistent with current policy.

Soaring gas prices at the pump earlier this year have only entrenched the problem. While prices retreated some from their highs, the latest move by OPEC will not help lower them.

In a statement delivered by the White House, Biden said he was “disappointed by the shortsighted decision by OPEC+ to cut production quotas while the global economy is dealing with the continued negative impact of Putin’s invasion of Ukraine.”

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3 Comments

  1. JNW

    As usual the elitist’s want some one to support their policies and economic needs regardless of how it effects other countries needs. Aren’t we special! Our goals are the only ones that count and everyone should be willing to sacrifice to make that happen. The drawdown of the SPR is dangerous and a political ploy that Putin is so pleased with because if there is an oil crisis we will only have half the reserves in store putting this country in the same position we were in during the Carter years with little supply and long lines with limited gasoline supplies. Some people just don’t know history of government intervention of commodities which is controlled by Wall Street.

    Reply
  2. Wolfman

    “U.S. Energy Policy Undermined by OPEC”

    This headline is a lie. U.S. energy production was undermined by President Biden in his first 24 hours in office. he shut down every bit of domestic production he could and has refused to ramp it back up, even though that’s what would be best for this country and the world. Biden is going to destroy the whole world with his idiotic leftist stupidity and his greed for money from China and Russia.

    Reply
  3. TheMule61

    Wrong, US energy policy was undermined by democrats and their fool beliefs about energy and economics.

    Reply

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