Weaker-than-expected LNG demand, relatively mild winter weather, the coronavirus outbreak and Chinese tariffs have made the situation worse.

Brent were up 13 cents at $56.47 a barrel, WTI were 14 cents higher at $51.56 a barrel.

The coronavirus epidemic in China has had a marginal impact on energy markets and is unlikely to dramatically affect oil prices even if Chinese demand falls by 500,000 barrels per day, U.S. Energy Secretary Dan Brouillette told

Brent was up $1.12, or 2.1%, at $55.13 per barrel, WTI rose 74 cents, or 1.5%, to $50.68 a barrel.

OPEC members and allied oil producers, the so-called OPEC+, have agreed to cut their crude oil production by an additional 500,000 bbl/d until their next meeting in early March 2020.

EIA forecasts Brent prices will average $61/b in 2020; with prices averaging $58/b during the first half of the year and $64/b during the second half of the year. EIA forecasts the average Brent prices will rise to an average of $68/b in 2021.

EQT Corp, the largest U.S. gas producer, recently said it would take a write-down of as much as $1.8 billion, following CNX Resources Corp, Royal Dutch Shell Plc and Chevron Corp in reducing the value of gas properties.

Brent crude futures gave up losses to be up 17 cents at $54.64 a barrel while U.S. crude futures added 8 cents to $50.4 a barrel.

Iran’s support for any output reduction agreed by a majority of OPEC member states

Brent rose 24 cents, or 0.4%, to $55.17 a barrel, WTI were up 15 cents, or 0.3%, at $51.10 a barrel,

The Russian delay is sure to frustrate OPEC kingpin Saudi Arabia, which had called for the collective to immediately implement deeper cuts of 500,000 b/d or more amid the sell-off in crude prices.

The US was prepared to sanction Rosneft if it continued to trade crude oil and fuel with PDVSA, but analysts said those sanctions have yet to be imposed because of the expected impact they may have on the global oil market.

Brent were up 31 cents, or 0.6%, to $54.27 a barrel, WTI were up 21 cents or 0.4% to $49.82 a barrel

"Any overreaction...is not in the interest of the general public, let alone the oil market. We have the consensus that we would not like to see this."

Russian President Vladimir Putin and Saudi King Salman bin Abdulaziz "thoroughly discussed" the current oil market conditions as prices have fallen by more than 20% in the past three weeks amid global oil demand concerns, a Kremlin statement said late Monday.