In October, OPEC and its partners took the unusual step of assigning fixed production targets for a full year ahead. Key officials have indicated they intend to leave the quotas unchanged throughout 2023, and the comments from Prince Abdulaziz bin Salman are the most emphatic to date.

Gas markets are in “better shape than many expected one year ago,” IEA Executive Director Fatih Birol said. “But the reality is that winter 2023-2024 is likely to be the real test.”

Brent slid $1.13, or 1.3%, to $84.45 a barrel, WTI dropped $1.31, or 1.7% to $77.75.

Brent fell 86 cents, or 1%, to $85.53 a barrel, WTI was at $78.83 a barrel, down 89 cents, or 1.1%.

Benchmark futures are now trading just above €50, near the lowest levels since September 2021.

China has imported about 2.3 million mt HSFO over December-January, about 235% higher compared to 687,000 mt during November-December, according to Kpler shipping data.

Brent rose $2.17, or 2.57%, to $86.67 a barrel, WTI were up $2.01, or 2.57%, at $80.07.

Moscow’s move deepens the 2 million barrel-a-day production cut announced late last year by OPEC+, which Russia leads along with Saudi Arabia.

Brent rose 99 cents, or 1.2%, to $84.68 a barrel, WTI climbed 93 cents, or 1.2%, to $78.07.

India's oil imports from Russia are likely to continue to rise this year mainly because of the steeply discounted prices it is selling at, he said, and assuming there are "no further stringent actions by the Western countries targeting Russian oil."