2020s oil price: beware black swans
Oil analytics firm OilX sees a gradual evolution of the 2020s market balance, although with both energy transition in demand and Opec renaissance in supply signalling downside
We anticipate that the 2020s—with the energy transition moving into full swing—to be a truly transformative decade for oil, but with demand largely influenced by two opposing forces the market could remain in equilibrium. On one hand, we see oil demand continuing to grow significantly in developing countries, particularly Asia. On the other hand, we expect the pace of the transition to pick up steam and for a series of environmental policies to be implemented, with a subsequent retarding effect on demand. Demand We forecast global oil demand to reach 108mn bl/d by 2030, with average yearly growth of more than 0.8mn bl/d. Based on demographic and GDP projections by international organisations

Also in this section
21 August 2025
The administration has once more reduced its short-term gas price forecasts, but the expectation remains the market will tighten over the coming year, on the back of
19 August 2025
ExxonMobil’s MOU with SOCAR, unveiled in Washington alongside the peace agreement with Armenia, highlights how the Karabakh net-zero zone is part of a wider strategic realignment
19 August 2025
OPEC and the IEA have very different views on where the oil market is headed, leaving analysts wondering which way to jump
15 August 2025
US secondary sanctions are forcing a rapid reassessment of crude buying patterns in Asia, and the implications could reshape pricing, freight and supply balances worldwide. With India holding the key to two-thirds of Russian seaborne exports, the stakes could not be higher