The drivers of oil prices : the usefulness and limitations of non-structural model, the demand-supply framework and informal approaches

We discuss three main approaches for analysing oil prices: non-structural models, the supply–demand framework and the informal approach. Each of these approaches emphasizes a certain set of drivers of oil prices. While non-structural models rely on the theory of exhaustible resources as the basis fo...

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Main Author: Fattouh, B
Format: Working paper
Language:English
Published: 2007
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author Fattouh, B
author_facet Fattouh, B
author_sort Fattouh, B
collection OXFORD
description We discuss three main approaches for analysing oil prices: non-structural models, the supply–demand framework and the informal approach. Each of these approaches emphasizes a certain set of drivers of oil prices. While non-structural models rely on the theory of exhaustible resources as the basis for understanding the oil market, the supply–demand framework uses behavioural equations that link oil demand and supply to its various determinants such as GDP growth, prices and oil reserves. The informal approach, on the other hand, analyses oil price movements within specific contexts and episodes of oil market history. We use the latter approach to identify the main factors that have affected oil price movements in recent years, analysing whether these drivers reflect structural changes in the oil market. We emphasize that although all the above approaches provide useful insights on how the world oil market functions, they suffer from major limitations especially when used to make long-term projections. Thus, pushing hard for policies based on the projections of such models defeats their purpose and may result in misguided policies.
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spelling oxford-uuid:6d8430a1-3926-4444-93ea-53361b4dac8a2022-03-26T19:18:15ZThe drivers of oil prices : the usefulness and limitations of non-structural model, the demand-supply framework and informal approachesWorking paperhttp://purl.org/coar/resource_type/c_8042uuid:6d8430a1-3926-4444-93ea-53361b4dac8aEnglishOxford University Research Archive - Valet2007Fattouh, BWe discuss three main approaches for analysing oil prices: non-structural models, the supply–demand framework and the informal approach. Each of these approaches emphasizes a certain set of drivers of oil prices. While non-structural models rely on the theory of exhaustible resources as the basis for understanding the oil market, the supply–demand framework uses behavioural equations that link oil demand and supply to its various determinants such as GDP growth, prices and oil reserves. The informal approach, on the other hand, analyses oil price movements within specific contexts and episodes of oil market history. We use the latter approach to identify the main factors that have affected oil price movements in recent years, analysing whether these drivers reflect structural changes in the oil market. We emphasize that although all the above approaches provide useful insights on how the world oil market functions, they suffer from major limitations especially when used to make long-term projections. Thus, pushing hard for policies based on the projections of such models defeats their purpose and may result in misguided policies.
spellingShingle Fattouh, B
The drivers of oil prices : the usefulness and limitations of non-structural model, the demand-supply framework and informal approaches
title The drivers of oil prices : the usefulness and limitations of non-structural model, the demand-supply framework and informal approaches
title_full The drivers of oil prices : the usefulness and limitations of non-structural model, the demand-supply framework and informal approaches
title_fullStr The drivers of oil prices : the usefulness and limitations of non-structural model, the demand-supply framework and informal approaches
title_full_unstemmed The drivers of oil prices : the usefulness and limitations of non-structural model, the demand-supply framework and informal approaches
title_short The drivers of oil prices : the usefulness and limitations of non-structural model, the demand-supply framework and informal approaches
title_sort drivers of oil prices the usefulness and limitations of non structural model the demand supply framework and informal approaches
work_keys_str_mv AT fattouhb thedriversofoilpricestheusefulnessandlimitationsofnonstructuralmodelthedemandsupplyframeworkandinformalapproaches
AT fattouhb driversofoilpricestheusefulnessandlimitationsofnonstructuralmodelthedemandsupplyframeworkandinformalapproaches