OPEC sees lower 2020 demand for its oil, points to surplus

OPEC on Thursday forecast world demand for its crude will decline next year as rivals pump more, pointing to the return of a surplus despite an OPEC-led pact to restrain supplies.

The drop in demand for OPEC crude highlights the sustained boost that OPEC's policy to support prices by supply cuts is giving to U.S. shale and other rival supply. .

Giving its first 2020 forecasts in a monthly report, the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries said the world would need 29.27 million barrels per day (bpd) of crude from its 14 members next year, down 1.34 million bpd from this year.

"U.S. tight crude production is anticipated to continue to grow as new pipelines will allow more Permian crude to flow to the U.S. Gulf Coast export hub," OPEC said, using another term for shale oil.

OPEC in the report also forecast that world oil demand would rise at the same pace as this year and that the world economy would expand at this year's pace, despite slower growth in the main countries.