Abu Dhabi: Fuel prices in the UAE will slightly increase in June in line with international crude oil prices which are trending higher on supply concerns following attacks on Saudi Arabia’s oil installations and tankers off the coast of the Fujairah earlier this month.
In an announcement on Wednesday, fuel distribution companies said Super 98 will be costlier by 5 fils, rising from Dh2.48 in May to Dh2.53 in June. Similarly, Special 95 price will go up from Dh2.34 in May to Dh2.42 in June and E Plus from Dh2.25 to Dh2.34 in June. Diesel will be costlier by 3 fils, rising from Dh2.53 in May to Dh2.56 in June.
Two major attacks took place on Saudi Arabia’s oil tankers as well as on pipeline pump stations earlier in May, causing oil prices to spike to more than $70 (Dh257.11) per barrel on supply concerns.
In the first incident on May 11, two oil tankers from Saudi Arabia were attacked off the coast of Fujairah. Two days later, Saudi Aramco had to temporarily shutdown an oil pipeline following a drone attack on its facilities that transport oil from Eastern province to Yanbu port.
International crude oil prices jumped to $72 per barrel following the attacks but fell subsequently on concerns pertaining to global oil demand due to trade tensions between the US and China, the world’s two biggest economies.
International benchmark Brent was trading at about $69 per barrel on Wednesday with the US crude West Texas Intermediate at $58 per barrel.
Production cuts by the Organisation of Petroleum Exporting Countries (Opec) and its allies, including Russia, are also supporting oil prices and the agreement, which was to expire by the end of June, is likely to be extended until the end of 2019 to boost oil markets.
US National Security Adviser John Bolton told reporters in Abu Dhabi on Wednesday that naval mines “almost certainly from Iran” were used to attack oil tankers and warned Tehran against new operations escalating tensions in the Middle East further.