
針對前幾日多哈會議凍產協議失敗的現實,我們對比OPEC的發展,以不同的視角來揭開多哈談判失敗這一事件背后的真相。OPEC成員國之間就伊朗等國是否應參與凍產有著嚴重的分歧,原本同意達成協議的一些OPEC國家臨時改變立場以及美國施壓,造成最終協議無法達成共識。照此下去,如果各成員國繼續陷入惡性競爭,不僅國際油價會受到波及,甚至OPEC本身也會面臨著分崩離析的危險。
半個多世紀前,伊朗、伊拉克、委內瑞拉、科威特和沙特阿拉伯這五大石油生產國同意通過協作共同對抗??松梨?、RD /殼牌、德士古石油、雪佛龍、美孚、海灣石油和BP這七大跨國石油公司對石油市場的壟斷影響。之后,五大“兄弟團”的數量達到13個,并成立了OPEC組織,而七大“姐妹團”開始互相獨立工作。
OPEC持續影響了石油市場幾十年之久。當有必要降低或提高油價時,人們把所有希望都寄托在這一組織上。OPEC的每一次決策都很清晰,其管理措施準確高效,違反石油生產配額制度并不會對原油市場造成重大威脅,因此每個人都是睜一只眼閉一只眼。石油圈原創,石油圈公眾號:oilsns
這種情況一直持續到21世紀,OPEC的創新價格機制開始動搖市場并加劇了投機行為,組織成員國之間逐漸失去信任,最終引發了嚴重的違反石油生產配額后果。21世紀以來,油價曾跌至16美元/桶,也曾飆升至143美元/桶。油價的虛高終結于2014年秋天,此后油價開始下跌。倘若一次次挽救原油市場的努力沒能推動價格上漲,那么油價下跌還會持續。備受矚目的多哈談判就是一次這樣的嘗試。
談判失敗
一些石油生產國曾承諾在沙特阿拉伯牽頭下共同協商解決石油市場價格壟斷的問題,并表示愿意付出實際行動。但沙特一再警告說,他們不可單方面凍結生產。原本預期多哈談判的結果是基于非OPEC國家能否就凍結石油產量至2016年1月份的水平與OPEC成員國達成一致協議。但談判的失敗并非由于OPEC國家和非OPEC國家(包括阿塞拜疆、俄羅斯、哈薩克斯坦、巴林、阿曼和墨西哥)之間缺乏共識,而是由于OPEC這個曾在56年前立志在“七大石油公司”的壟斷下拯救原油市場的組織,其內部未能達成一致。
首先,由于伊朗一直受石油出口制裁而長期凍結石油產量,其石油部長缺席卡塔爾的會議。沙特則反過來要求必須所有OPEC成員國加入行動,其主要針對的是伊朗和利比亞。根據抵達多哈相關部長的說法判斷,此次會議未能達成一致的凍產協議。石油圈原創,石油圈公眾號:oilsns
在這樣一個供應充分的市場上,OPEC若貿然削減產出以推高油價,就會使得之處于極端不利的地位,但是油價受到的真正影響卻很有限,這一點相信世界上最大石油出口國沙特并不能主宰油價反彈,在上世紀80年代就已經體會過了油價并未因沙特的減產而提高。這種局面下,OPEC每一成員國的利益其實是彼此敵對的。
例如,俄羅斯能源部長Alexander Novak表示,這次在多哈的會議非常重要。尼日利亞石油部長Emmanuel Ibe Kachikwu之前曾建議OPEC先解決內部分歧再邀請其他國家參會。OPEC的下一個正式會議是6月,尼日利亞部長對此補充道,“在邀請OPEC以外的國家參與討論之前,OPEC成員國應當首先在內部達成一致”。石油圈原創,石油圈公眾號:oilsns
沙特堅持要求所有OPEC成員國都必須加入協議,也包括伊朗。伊朗則認為,國際制裁剛剛解除,現在伊朗原油產出距制裁前的正常水平仍相去甚遠,而沙特等國原油產出卻已經處于歷史高點,伊朗沒有必要以同意凍產來變相制裁自己,這是造成多哈協議失敗的重要原因之一。在伊朗看來,多哈凍產會議可能更像是一場“鴻門宴”,既然不可能同意自身凍產,那么就根本沒有去的必要。
俄羅斯能源部長Alexander Novak稱,原本他對達成協議非常樂觀,沙特、卡塔爾、委內瑞拉和俄羅斯本來已在周六就協議草案達成共識,但是伊朗缺席,沙特又要求所有OPEC成員都要同意凍產,包括伊朗,這讓他們大感意外?!耙恍㎡PEC國家”在最后一天會議開始前改變了立場,導致會議出現激烈爭論。
擔任沙特石油部長超過20年的Ali Al-Naimi堅持要求,凍產協議必須包含關于伊朗最終要參與的相關表述。厄瓜多爾石油部長Wilson Pastor在多哈會議正式開始前曾表示,關于伊朗的原油產出問題,沙特、俄羅斯和海灣國家進行了非常高級別的會談,達成共識基本沒問題,但是在具體措辭上有一些分歧。Al-Naimi認可的內容未能在其他石油部長間取得共識,會議就無果而終。當時,距離亞市早盤原油期貨開始交易只有數小時。
除此之外,美國施加的壓力也是多哈凍產協議失敗的一個重要原因。這一說法來自委內瑞拉石油部長Eulogio Del Pino,路透報道援引他的話稱:美國在背后施加壓力,他們對委內瑞拉、俄羅斯……不滿。
對油價的沖擊
如此,多哈會議只會讓形勢變得更糟,這說明OPEC已經不再是一個統一有效的組織了,目前迫切需要建立另一個聯盟。顯然,4月17日談判的失敗直接導致在6月份原油期貨價格下跌6%,4月18日布倫特原油在倫敦證券交易所開盤就跌至40美元/桶,而WTI原油至36美元/桶,下跌了6.8%。
多哈凍產協議最終會有助于原油價格上漲。根據其草案內容,凍結后的石油產量將不高于今年1月份的水平,并一直維持到10月份。若針對此協議內容達成一致,原油期貨價格本應在周一就開始回升。
澳大利亞聯邦銀行的分析師達爾近日表示,不要再期待原油市場會快速反彈了,澳大利亞聯邦銀行預期油價在2020年以前會于35~55美元/桶之間波動。他還專門提到OPEC的增產預期,達爾認為如果OPEC陷入惡性競爭,不僅國際油價會受到波及,甚至OPEC本身也會分裂。
澳大利亞聯邦銀行認為,除非OPEC達成減產以平衡市場供求,油價可能因成本較低、處于盈利邊緣的美國頁巖油公司重新投產而陷于35~55美元區間無法自拔。達爾表示:“由于美國原油供給持續下行與需求端回暖的雙重影響,油價均值在2016年第二季度至第三季度會有所上升。不過,由于經合組織(OECD)高企的庫存、伊朗原油增產,以及美國頁巖油公司在55美元關口附近有潛在的增產可能等因素,油價在2016年第四季度和2017年第一季度預計會再次受到拖累。澳大利亞聯邦銀行預計,因受伊朗因素的影響,OPEC原油日產出會在明年提高約100萬桶,其余OPEC產油國保持目前的產量水平不變?!?span style="color: #ffffff;">石油圈原創,石油圈公眾號:oilsns
而對于2017年第一季度以后,達爾預測“在2018年年中前,原油會穩步上升到每桶50-55美元區間;之后,因為頁巖油公司持續降低的油氣生產成本與市場價格相遇,會觸發美國頁巖油另一輪增產”,油價會因此回落至每桶35~55美元區間。石油圈原創,石油圈公眾號:oilsns
盡管這些預測的條件十分嚴格,但是所有做出過預測的人都知道,因此,達爾還提供了會讓這些預測徹底失靈的其他因素。他認為,如果美國頁巖油產量比預期下滑更大的話,需求增長、尤其是來自OECD國家的需求增長,還有OPEC產油國不太可能的供給管制意外出現,工業部門活躍度提高,美國加息預期進一步降低等一系列同時出現,會進一步推高油價穿破55美元的預測上限。
達爾還表示,市場需要關注OECD國家的高庫存以及美國頁巖油成本。如果美國頁巖油成本降低幅度超出預期,進而擴張產量會讓油價更為慘淡。此外,達爾專門點名了OPEC,認為其增產的傾向對油價是十分可怕的因素。他表示,“受凍產談判失敗的影響,OPEC國家可能會競相提高產量,此舉會讓油價進一步承壓。此前,沙特已經暗示有非常大的可能會將日產出提高200-230萬桶。由于沙特空閑產能占OPEC的三分之二,因而其競爭優勢最為明顯。這可能會引發OPEC成員國互相競爭、維持市場份額的狂潮,最壞的后果將是OPEC的解體?!?/span>
由于所有人都意識到“無人可再對石油市場負責”,在石油市場面臨前所未有的供需失衡下,成員國之間相互猜測只會使局勢惡化。沙特雖然在產量上沒有大的波動,但OPEC的另外量大石油生產大國,伊朗和伊拉克正在快馬加鞭增加產量,這再次使油價的上升面前增加的一堵墻。另外,由于非OPEC供應的不斷增長,以及OPEC自己在合作方面存在的問題,OPEC便呈現出了我們現在所看到的近乎癱瘓的狀態。因此,多哈談判的失敗本質上說明了OPEC已是名存實亡。
OPEC的市場壟斷地位早已被打破,各成員國已無法像當年那樣彼此合作,達到一個中心目標了?,F時的OPEC只是一只“紙老虎”。面對原油價格的這一路暴跌,OPEC想要協同動作來應對卻困難重重,始終不能如愿。
根據國際貨幣基金組織的預測,今年全球經濟下滑嚴重,沒有人再指望原油需求量會繼續增長。很明顯,疲軟的經濟導致了對石油需求的持續下降,加之原油生產過剩,最終導致油價持續下跌。不知道我們是否會親眼見證油價跌至1998年12月份的9.1美元/桶的時刻?
作者/Vagif Sharifov ? ?譯者/朱丹 ? ?編輯/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.?
未經允許,不得轉載本站任何文章: