Oil prices climbed 10 percent on Monday morning in Asia, two days after attacks on oil infrastructure in Saudi Arabia resulted in a halving of production. Around 4:10 am, Paris time, the barrel of "light sweet crude" (WTI), US crude reference, for delivery in October, gained $ 5.38, or 9.81% to 60.23 dollars, in electronic exchanges in Asia. The barrel of Brent North Sea, European reference for November, took him 6.65 dollars, or 11.04% to 66.87 dollars.
>> READ ALSO - Saudi oil production falls after attack: "There will inevitably be an increase in fuel prices"
The Iranian-backed Yemeni rebels Houthis, who have been facing a Riyadh-led military coalition for the past five years, have claimed responsibility for the attacks on the facilities of state-owned giant Aramco. They caused a sharp reduction in production of 5.7 million barrels a day, or about 6% of global supply.
Use of US strategic reserves
On Monday, Brent briefly gained almost 20%, while WTI gained up to 15%. The United States declared Sunday "ready to respond" to drone attacks. US President Donald Trump also announced on Sunday that he has authorized the use of US oil strategic reserves if needed, to offset the decline in production of Saudi Arabia.
On Saturday, US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said there was no evidence that this "unprecedented attack on global energy supplies" had come from Yemen, accusing Iran of being at the origin attack and assuring that the United States would work to supply the markets.