Oil prices rise ahead of OPEC meeting

OPEC+ ministers hold a full meeting on Thursday.

U.S. West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude futures rose 38 cents, or 0.63%, to $61.66 a barrel by 0524 GMT.

Brent crude futures rose 48 cents, or 0.75%, to $64.55 a barrel.

The market has been expecting OPEC+ to ease production cuts by around 500,000 barrels per day (bpd) from April.

Meanwhile, U.S. crude oil stockpiles surged by a record of more than 21 million barrels last week as refining plunged to an all-time low due to the Texas freeze that knocked out power for millions.

OPEC leader Saudi Arabia has also been expected to end its voluntary production cut of an additional 1 million bpd.

But three OPEC+ sources said on Wednesday some key OPEC members had suggested keeping the group’s output unchanged.

A ministerial panel meeting ended on Wednesday without making any policy recommendations, two OPEC+ sources told Reuters.

It was not immediately clear whether Saudi Arabia would end its voluntary cuts or extend them, they said.