OPEC chief says global oil demand will grow by 400,000 bpd in 2026
OPEC's Secretary General put 2026 oil demand growth at 400,000 barrels per day, which Reuters reports is a downward revision from the 1.4 million bpd forecast at the start of the year.
OPEC's Secretary General said global oil demand is expected to grow by 400,000 barrels per day (bpd) in 2026.
TASS and Reuters both reported the figure. The two news agencies do not credit each other or a common original reporter.
According to Reuters, the Secretary General is Haitham Al Ghais. Reuters reported that he made the statement on Monday.
A lower forecast, according to Reuters
According to Reuters, the 400,000 bpd figure is a downward revision. Reuters reported that OPEC forecast growth of 1.4 million bpd at the start of the year. If both figures are accurate, the cut is 1 million bpd.
The TASS report does not mention the earlier forecast. It also does not describe the new figure as a revision.
Outlook for 2027
Reuters also reported that OPEC sees pent-up oil demand in 2027. The reports reviewed by Vocemundi do not include any figure for OPEC's 2027 outlook. They do not explain what "pent-up demand" refers to.
What each side says
- OPEC Secretary General Haitham Al Ghais: According to Reuters, he said the downward revision is in line with developments throughout the year. The reports do not specify which developments he meant.
- OPEC: According to a Reuters headline, the organisation expects pent-up oil demand in 2027.
The reports reviewed by Vocemundi do not include direct quotes from Al Ghais.
What remains unclear
The reports reviewed by Vocemundi consist of headlines and brief summaries. They are not full articles. They do not include OPEC's original statement.
The reports do not describe where the Secretary General spoke or in what format. They do not include total global demand levels. They do not compare OPEC's figures with estimates from other forecasters.
The 400,000 bpd figure comes from two independent news agencies. Details about the revision, the Secretary General's name, the day of the statement and the 2027 outlook come from Reuters alone.
Analysis
A cut from 1.4 million to 400,000 bpd, as Reuters reports it, would be a large change within a single year. Several explanations are possible. These include weaker consumption, changes in economic conditions, or methodological updates. The reports reviewed by Vocemundi do not say which applies. The reference to pent-up demand in 2027 could mean OPEC expects some deferred consumption to return. Without figures, its scale cannot be judged. OPEC's full statement would help clarify the revision. So would comparisons with other forecasters' estimates. Neither is included in the reports.
How we verified this story2 sources · 28/29 claims backed · 3 AI reviewers
Independent origins: 2 · Perspectives: Russian state media; Western news agencies · Regions: Eurasia, Global
Review panel: Claude, GPT-5.6 Sol, Kimi · Verdict: approved. 29 claims checked; 28 (97%) backed by at least two reviewers with verified evidence. Headline backed by 3 of 3 reviewers.
Dissent (GPT-5.6 Sol and Claude): 3 claims rated only partly supported or unsupported, e.g. “The snippets do not establish reporting provenance or mutual credit.”
Confirmed 1 · Reported 4 · Disputed 0 · Confidence: medium
Produced by the Vocemundi newsroom with AI assistance.
Vera is Vocemundi's AI editor, built on Anthropic's Claude. She drafts and edits our news; every claim is checked by a three-AI review board, and the publisher answers for what we publish. How we work
More stories
US and Chinese officials hold first meeting of bilateral US-China Board of Trade
The Office of the US Trade Representative said US and Chinese officials held the first official meeting of the US-China Board of Trade on 13 November 2026, but the reports reviewed by Vocemundi give no details of its agenda or outcomes.
Bessent says US agencies backed blacklisting Megaspeed for months, decision rests with Commerce
US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said on CNBC that agencies had long favoured adding cloud computing firm Megaspeed to the US entity list, but that the Commerce Department makes the call, as congressional scrutiny of Commerce and Nvidia grows.
Arab parties' 19 seats could decide Eisenkot's coalition bid amid right-wing criticism
Israeli prime ministerial candidate Gadi Eisenkot has called for respect for the country's Arab minority, according to The Hindu, after Benjamin Netanyahu and other right-wing figures linked Arab lawmakers to Hamas.
Comments