针对前几日多哈会议冻产协议失败的现实,我们对比OPEC的发展,以不同的视角来揭开多哈谈判失败这一事件背后的真相。OPEC成员国之间就伊朗等国是否应参与冻产有着严重的分歧,原本同意达成协议的一些OPEC国家临时改变立场以及美国施压,造成最终协议无法达成共识。照此下去,如果各成员国继续陷入恶性竞争,不仅国际油价会受到波及,甚至OPEC本身也会面临着分崩离析的危险。
半个多世纪前,伊朗、伊拉克、委内瑞拉、科威特和沙特阿拉伯这五大石油生产国同意通过协作共同对抗埃克森美孚、RD /壳牌、德士古石油、雪佛龙、美孚、海湾石油和BP这七大跨国石油公司对石油市场的垄断影响。之后,五大“兄弟团”的数量达到13个,并成立了OPEC组织,而七大“姐妹团”开始互相独立工作。
OPEC持续影响了石油市场几十年之久。当有必要降低或提高油价时,人们把所有希望都寄托在这一组织上。OPEC的每一次决策都很清晰,其管理措施准确高效,违反石油生产配额制度并不会对原油市场造成重大威胁,因此每个人都是睁一只眼闭一只眼。石油圈原创,石油圈公众号:oilsns
这种情况一直持续到21世纪,OPEC的创新价格机制开始动摇市场并加剧了投机行为,组织成员国之间逐渐失去信任,最终引发了严重的违反石油生产配额后果。21世纪以来,油价曾跌至16美元/桶,也曾飙升至143美元/桶。油价的虚高终结于2014年秋天,此后油价开始下跌。倘若一次次挽救原油市场的努力没能推动价格上涨,那么油价下跌还会持续。备受瞩目的多哈谈判就是一次这样的尝试。
谈判失败
一些石油生产国曾承诺在沙特阿拉伯牵头下共同协商解决石油市场价格垄断的问题,并表示愿意付出实际行动。但沙特一再警告说,他们不可单方面冻结生产。原本预期多哈谈判的结果是基于非OPEC国家能否就冻结石油产量至2016年1月份的水平与OPEC成员国达成一致协议。但谈判的失败并非由于OPEC国家和非OPEC国家(包括阿塞拜疆、俄罗斯、哈萨克斯坦、巴林、阿曼和墨西哥)之间缺乏共识,而是由于OPEC这个曾在56年前立志在“七大石油公司”的垄断下拯救原油市场的组织,其内部未能达成一致。
首先,由于伊朗一直受石油出口制裁而长期冻结石油产量,其石油部长缺席卡塔尔的会议。沙特则反过来要求必须所有OPEC成员国加入行动,其主要针对的是伊朗和利比亚。根据抵达多哈相关部长的说法判断,此次会议未能达成一致的冻产协议。石油圈原创,石油圈公众号:oilsns
在这样一个供应充分的市场上,OPEC若贸然削减产出以推高油价,就会使得之处于极端不利的地位,但是油价受到的真正影响却很有限,这一点相信世界上最大石油出口国沙特并不能主宰油价反弹,在上世纪80年代就已经体会过了油价并未因沙特的减产而提高。这种局面下,OPEC每一成员国的利益其实是彼此敌对的。
例如,俄罗斯能源部长Alexander Novak表示,这次在多哈的会议非常重要。尼日利亚石油部长Emmanuel Ibe Kachikwu之前曾建议OPEC先解决内部分歧再邀请其他国家参会。OPEC的下一个正式会议是6月,尼日利亚部长对此补充道,“在邀请OPEC以外的国家参与讨论之前,OPEC成员国应当首先在内部达成一致”。石油圈原创,石油圈公众号:oilsns
沙特坚持要求所有OPEC成员国都必须加入协议,也包括伊朗。伊朗则认为,国际制裁刚刚解除,现在伊朗原油产出距制裁前的正常水平仍相去甚远,而沙特等国原油产出却已经处于历史高点,伊朗没有必要以同意冻产来变相制裁自己,这是造成多哈协议失败的重要原因之一。在伊朗看来,多哈冻产会议可能更像是一场“鸿门宴”,既然不可能同意自身冻产,那么就根本没有去的必要。
俄罗斯能源部长Alexander Novak称,原本他对达成协议非常乐观,沙特、卡塔尔、委内瑞拉和俄罗斯本来已在周六就协议草案达成共识,但是伊朗缺席,沙特又要求所有OPEC成员都要同意冻产,包括伊朗,这让他们大感意外。“一些OPEC国家”在最后一天会议开始前改变了立场,导致会议出现激烈争论。
担任沙特石油部长超过20年的Ali Al-Naimi坚持要求,冻产协议必须包含关于伊朗最终要参与的相关表述。厄瓜多尔石油部长Wilson Pastor在多哈会议正式开始前曾表示,关于伊朗的原油产出问题,沙特、俄罗斯和海湾国家进行了非常高级别的会谈,达成共识基本没问题,但是在具体措辞上有一些分歧。Al-Naimi认可的内容未能在其他石油部长间取得共识,会议就无果而终。当时,距离亚市早盘原油期货开始交易只有数小时。
除此之外,美国施加的压力也是多哈冻产协议失败的一个重要原因。这一说法来自委内瑞拉石油部长Eulogio Del Pino,路透报道援引他的话称:美国在背后施加压力,他们对委内瑞拉、俄罗斯……不满。
对油价的冲击
如此,多哈会议只会让形势变得更糟,这说明OPEC已经不再是一个统一有效的组织了,目前迫切需要建立另一个联盟。显然,4月17日谈判的失败直接导致在6月份原油期货价格下跌6%,4月18日布伦特原油在伦敦证券交易所开盘就跌至40美元/桶,而WTI原油至36美元/桶,下跌了6.8%。
多哈冻产协议最终会有助于原油价格上涨。根据其草案内容,冻结后的石油产量将不高于今年1月份的水平,并一直维持到10月份。若针对此协议内容达成一致,原油期货价格本应在周一就开始回升。
澳大利亚联邦银行的分析师达尔近日表示,不要再期待原油市场会快速反弹了,澳大利亚联邦银行预期油价在2020年以前会于35~55美元/桶之间波动。他还专门提到OPEC的增产预期,达尔认为如果OPEC陷入恶性竞争,不仅国际油价会受到波及,甚至OPEC本身也会分裂。
澳大利亚联邦银行认为,除非OPEC达成减产以平衡市场供求,油价可能因成本较低、处于盈利边缘的美国页岩油公司重新投产而陷于35~55美元区间无法自拔。达尔表示:“由于美国原油供给持续下行与需求端回暖的双重影响,油价均值在2016年第二季度至第三季度会有所上升。不过,由于经合组织(OECD)高企的库存、伊朗原油增产,以及美国页岩油公司在55美元关口附近有潜在的增产可能等因素,油价在2016年第四季度和2017年第一季度预计会再次受到拖累。澳大利亚联邦银行预计,因受伊朗因素的影响,OPEC原油日产出会在明年提高约100万桶,其余OPEC产油国保持目前的产量水平不变。”石油圈原创,石油圈公众号:oilsns
而对于2017年第一季度以后,达尔预测“在2018年年中前,原油会稳步上升到每桶50-55美元区间;之后,因为页岩油公司持续降低的油气生产成本与市场价格相遇,会触发美国页岩油另一轮增产”,油价会因此回落至每桶35~55美元区间。石油圈原创,石油圈公众号:oilsns
尽管这些预测的条件十分严格,但是所有做出过预测的人都知道,因此,达尔还提供了会让这些预测彻底失灵的其他因素。他认为,如果美国页岩油产量比预期下滑更大的话,需求增长、尤其是来自OECD国家的需求增长,还有OPEC产油国不太可能的供给管制意外出现,工业部门活跃度提高,美国加息预期进一步降低等一系列同时出现,会进一步推高油价穿破55美元的预测上限。
达尔还表示,市场需要关注OECD国家的高库存以及美国页岩油成本。如果美国页岩油成本降低幅度超出预期,进而扩张产量会让油价更为惨淡。此外,达尔专门点名了OPEC,认为其增产的倾向对油价是十分可怕的因素。他表示,“受冻产谈判失败的影响,OPEC国家可能会竞相提高产量,此举会让油价进一步承压。此前,沙特已经暗示有非常大的可能会将日产出提高200-230万桶。由于沙特空闲产能占OPEC的三分之二,因而其竞争优势最为明显。这可能会引发OPEC成员国互相竞争、维持市场份额的狂潮,最坏的后果将是OPEC的解体。”
由于所有人都意识到“无人可再对石油市场负责”,在石油市场面临前所未有的供需失衡下,成员国之间相互猜测只会使局势恶化。沙特虽然在产量上没有大的波动,但OPEC的另外量大石油生产大国,伊朗和伊拉克正在快马加鞭增加产量,这再次使油价的上升面前增加的一堵墙。另外,由于非OPEC供应的不断增长,以及OPEC自己在合作方面存在的问题,OPEC便呈现出了我们现在所看到的近乎瘫痪的状态。因此,多哈谈判的失败本质上说明了OPEC已是名存实亡。
OPEC的市场垄断地位早已被打破,各成员国已无法像当年那样彼此合作,达到一个中心目标了。现时的OPEC只是一只“纸老虎”。面对原油价格的这一路暴跌,OPEC想要协同动作来应对却困难重重,始终不能如愿。
根据国际货币基金组织的预测,今年全球经济下滑严重,没有人再指望原油需求量会继续增长。很明显,疲软的经济导致了对石油需求的持续下降,加之原油生产过剩,最终导致油价持续下跌。不知道我们是否会亲眼见证油价跌至1998年12月份的9.1美元/桶的时刻?
作者/Vagif Sharifov 译者/朱丹 编辑/Wang Yue
More than half a century ago, five major oil producing countries – Iran, Iraq, Venezuela, Kuwait and Saudi Arabia – agreed to work together to deprive seven transnational companies – Exxon, RD / Shell, Texaco, Chevron, Mobil, Gulf Oil and BP – of unlimited influence on the oil market.
Later, the number of “brothers” reached 13 and they organized OPEC, while the “sisters” started to work independently from each other. OPEC had a great influence on the oil market for decades. When there was a need to reduce or increase the oil prices,all hopes were pinned on the cartel. The cartel’s decisions were clear, its management was accurate and effective, and the violation of oil production quotas was not critical for the market-and everyone turned a blind eye to this.
This situation continued until the 2000s, when OPEC’s innovative price mechanism began to shake the market, intensified the speculations, began to sow discord among the participants and led to significant violations of quotas. Oil prices were dropping to $16 per barrel and increasing to $143 per barrel throughout 2000s. The artificial overstatement in oil prices came to an end in the autumn of 2014, when the prices began to fall. The fall would have continued, if the recurring rumors about saving the market had not pushed the prices up slightly. The negotiations in Doha were one of these popular rumors.
Salvation Did Not Happen
Several oil producing countries undertook the task to address the oil market with the help of Saudi Arabia,which had promised to consider what could be done. But the Saudis have always warned that they would not act alone in addressing production. The intrigue expected from Doha was based on whether non-OPEC countries would succeed in agreeing with the OPEC’s member countries on freezing oil output at January 2016 levels. But the negotiations failed- not due to a lack of consensus between OPEC and non-OPEC countries, which, incidentally, include the delegations of Azerbaijan, Russia, Kazakhstan, Bahrain, Oman and Mexico- but due to the fact that there was no agreement within the cartel, which 56 years ago undertook to save the world from the influence of “Seven Sisters.”
Firstly, Iran refused to send its oil minister to Qatar to participate in the meeting, basing its decision on the fact that the country has been under sanctions for too long to freeze oil production now. The Saudis, in turn, demanded that absolutely all OPEC members join the initiative. The Saudis meant chiefly Iran and Libya. Judging by the statements of the relevant ministers who arrived in Doha,no agreements at all were reached at the meeting.
For example, Russian Energy Minister Alexander Novak said only that the meeting in Doha was a significant event. Nigerian Oil Minister Emmanuel Ibe Kachikwu suggested to first settle everything within the OPEC before inviting other countries. OPEC’s next official meeting is in June, the Nigerian minister said, adding that the OPEC members will first agree among themselves before inviting countries outside the cartel to participate in the discussions.
Thus, the meeting, which only made things worse,showed that OPEC is no longer relevant and that there is an urgent need to create an alternative to the cartel. It is obvious that the results of Apr. 17 led to a six percent drop in the June oil futures on Apr. 18 – Brent crude at the opening of trading at the London Stock Exchange already dropped to $40 per barrel, while WTI crude fell by 6.8 percent to $36 per barrel.
A rescue plan in Doha would have eventually helped prices to increase. After freezing production at the level of January and holding it until October, futures would have begun increasing on Monday.
As a result, on average, we would have seen $55-$60 per barrel in 2016 versus $30-$35 per barrel, which perhaps we may see now. The speculations will only worsen the situation in terms of the unprecedented imbalance of supply and demand on the oil market because everyone has realized that there is nobody ‘responsible for oil’ any more. Thus, the failure of the Doha talks has in fact revealed the death of OPEC.
Nobody can hope for the growth of demand for crude oil, as the IMF predicted the fall of the global economy this year. It is obvious that the weak economy generating weak demand for oil leads to a constant fall in prices because of overproduction of crude oil. I wonder whether we see $9.1 per barrel again, as it was in December 1998.?
未经允许,不得转载本站任何文章: