Oil prices have been trading at a premium to fair value over the last two months with Brent’s outperformance driven not by geopolitical factors but rather by an lopsided build in global inventories,  with China accounting for two-thirds of the increase. While OECD inventories remain the primary driver in our pricing model, only 25% of this year’s global stock build has entered OECD storage, compared to the historical average of 40%, creating a valuation challenge. Mathematically, lower OECD intake raises Brent’s fair value, even as global stocks build, resulting in a storage premium. Looking ahead to 2H25, the key questions are how much spare storage capacity China has—currently about 600 million barrels—and whether China will use excess crude to ramp up processing and export more refined products. For now, stock builds are likely to continue outside price-setting Western markets, and despite higher refinery runs, Chinese product exports remain below last year’s levels as domestic inventories are replenished. Still, given the market’s move toward a sizable surplus and ongoing uncertainty around both the scale and drivers of China’s stock build, we are maintaining our current price forecasts.

Speaker:  

Natasha Kaneva, Head of Global Commodities Research

This podcast was recorded on September 5, 2025.