IEA: Oil demand to rise 14% by 2035

The global thirst for oil will grow in the next two decades driven by demand from emerging nations and the rise of the US as the top producer, the International Energy Agency said yesterday. Oil demand will increase by 14 percent between now and 2035 to reach 99.7 million barrels a day, the OECD-linked energy watchdog said in its annual assessment of the energy markets of tomorrow. This was 700,000 bpd more than the IEA forecast a year ago and signals that the world is still figuring out how to put the global energy system on a more sustainable path, the IEA said. Oil prices will rise too, it said, reaching $125 barrels by 2035 ($215 in nominal terms), from about $107 this year, and instead of the $120 forecast earlier. “Growth in oil consumption in emerging economies, particularly for transport in China, India and the Middle East, more than outweighs reduced demand in the OECD, pushing oil use steadily higher...,” the IEA said. The US energy market is going through radical upheaval sparked by the development of new technologies, especially the extraction of shale gas through a controversial process called “fracking” that has been limited or banned in other countries. Natural gas demand worldwide will grow in any scenario, though the outlook varies per region, the IEA said. From : Arab News