Sou Hu Cai Jing·2026-01-06 02:42Core Insights - In December 2025, the average price of Brent crude oil futures was $61.6 per barrel, a decrease of $2.0 per barrel month-on-month, with a month-end price of $60.9 per barrel. WTI crude oil futures averaged $57.9 per barrel, down $1.6 per barrel month-on-month, closing at $57.4 per barrel [1] - OPEC+ plans to completely exit a voluntary production cut of 2.2 million barrels per day from April to September 2025, and on September 7, 2025, it was decided to lift the voluntary production cut agreement of 1.66 million barrels per day reached in April 2023 within 12 months [1] Supply Side - OPEC+ announced a pause in production increases for the first quarter of 2026 due to seasonal reasons, despite plans to increase production by 137,000 barrels per day from October to December 2025 [1] - The IEA indicated that there would be a significant oversupply in the oil market next year, contributing to price fluctuations [1] Demand Side - Major international energy agencies project an increase in global oil demand of 830,000 to 1.3 million barrels per day in 2025, with demand estimates from OPEC, IEA, and EIA for 2025 being 105.14, 103.85, and 103.94 million barrels per day respectively, reflecting increases of 130, 83, and 114 thousand barrels per day compared to 2024 [2] - For 2026, oil demand is expected to grow by 860,000 to 1.38 million barrels per day, with estimates of 106.52, 104.71, and 105.17 million barrels per day from the same agencies [2] Industry Outlook - The Chinese petrochemical industry is facing an overall surplus in refining capacity, with a focus on optimizing supply-side dynamics through strict control of new refining capacity and a scientific approach to the release of new ethylene and paraxylene capacities [3] - The expected price range for Brent crude oil in 2026 is projected to be between $55 and $65 per barrel, while WTI crude oil is expected to range from $52 to $62 per barrel, influenced by high fiscal balance oil price costs from OPEC+ and elevated new well costs in U.S. shale oil [3] - Recommended stocks include China National Offshore Oil Corporation, China Petroleum, Satellite Chemical, and CNOOC Development [3]