Crude may hit $80/bl this year—Montepeque
The oil market veteran sees further price upside
Demand strength in the US and China and a bullish storage picture should prime oil prices for further gains, even as high as $80/bl, according to Jorge Montepeque, president of challenger price reporting agency (PRA) General Index and formerly the influential head of markets at rival PRA S&P Global Platts. “The most important thing over the past year-and-a-half is that the price has jumped like nobody could have imagined,” says Montepeque. “The market has essentially gone up by 90pc. Imagine that, in the middle of the most cataclysmic shrinkage in demand, we have seen an increase in prices of 90pc in a year.” 10-15pc – US gasoline demand back above pre-Covid levels And he sees
Also in this section
27 February 2026
LNG would serve as a backup supply source as domestic gas declines and the country’s energy system comes under stress during periods of low hydropower output and high energy demand
27 February 2026
The assumption that oil markets will re-route and work around sanctions is being tested, and it is the physical infrastructure that is acting as the constraint
27 February 2026
The 25th WPC Energy Congress to take place in tandem as part of a coordinated week of high-level ministerial, institutional and industry engagements
27 February 2026
The deepwater sector must be brave by fast-tracking projects and making progress to seize huge offshore opportunities and not become bogged down by capacity constraints and consolidation






