Video Commentary
Print/PDF Print/PDF

Ninepoint Energy Market Update

Ninepoint Energy Market Update - 12.18.2025
Key Takeaways
  • 2025 was one of the most volatile and geopolitically driven years in energy markets, driving erratic oil price action.
  • OPEC+ supply additions fell well short of expectations, sharply reducing global spare capacity.
  • US shale and non-OPEC supply growth are nearing a plateau, setting up potential supply tightness.
  • Structural demand growth supports a bullish long-term outlook for natural gas, led by LNG and power demand.
  • Depressed sentiment and pricing below marginal cost may be laying the groundwork for a multi-year energy bull market in 2026.

December 18, 2025

In this special year-end edition of the Energy Weekly Update, Eric Nuttall, Senior Portfolio Manager of Ninepoint Energy Strategies, reflects on one of the most volatile and geopolitically driven years in energy markets and outlines his outlook for oil and natural gas heading into 2026.

From escalating geopolitical risks and the unwinding of OPEC+ supply cuts, to rising inventories and the growing role of non-OPEC supply, Eric breaks down why short-term oil weakness may be setting the stage for a multi-year bull market. He also explains why Ninepoint tilted heavily toward natural gas in 2025, and why structural demand growth from LNG exports and power generation continues to support a bullish outlook.

Key Topics Covered:

  • 2025: A Challenging Year for Energy Investors – Geopolitical shocks, supply volatility, and headline-driven market swings dominate energy markets.
  • OPEC+ Supply Unwind – Why the feared 2.5 million bpd supply surge never fully materialized and what it means for inventories.
  • Global Inventory Builds – Distinguishing “oil on water” from onshore inventories and why the data is less bearish than headlines suggest.
  • Spare Capacity Nearly Eliminated – OPEC spare capacity normalized to ~1.3–1.4 million bpd, reducing the market’s safety buffer.
  • US Shale at a Plateau – Evidence that US and non-OPEC supply growth may peak in 2026.
  • The Case for a Multi-Year Oil Bull Market – Why higher prices may be required to incentivize long-cycle supply investment.
  • Natural Gas Structural Demand Growth – LNG exports, data centers, and power demand driving long-term bullish fundamentals.
  • Portfolio Positioning – Why Ninepoint favored natural gas in 2025 and how oil equities may offer significant upside as prices recover.
  • Looking Ahead to 2026 – Depressed sentiment, low index weightings, and pricing below marginal cost create compelling opportunities.

Historical Commentary

View All
  • Ninepoint Energy Market Update
    In this week’s update, Eric sits down with Dennis Degner, CEO of Range Resources, to break down why natural gas fundamentals are strengthening into the back half of the decade. With U.S. LNG exports surging toward 20 Bcf/d and data-center-driven power demand accelerating, the outlook for natural gas supply and pricing is rapidly tightening.
    Sector Investments
  • Ninepoint Energy Market Update
    In this week’s edition, Eric Nuttall, Senior Portfolio Manager of the Ninepoint Energy Strategy, breaks down a pivotal week for global energy markets — including the IEA’s surprising shift on long-term oil demand, Canada’s pipeline outlook, and the growing structural setup for the next major oil bull cycle.
    Sector Investments
  • Ninepoint Energy Market Update
    In this week’s edition, Eric Nuttall, Senior Portfolio Manager of Ninepoint Energy Strategies, breaks down a pivotal week for the energy sector — highlighted by a surge in natural gas prices, major M&A developments, and early signs of a policy shift from Ottawa.
    Sector Investments
  • Ninepoint Energy Market Update
    In this week’s update, Eric Nuttall, Senior Portfolio Manager of Ninepoint Energy Strategies, breaks down a powerful rally in natural gas—up over 13% this week—as early weather forecasts signal one of the coldest winters in the past decade.
    Sector Investments
  • Ninepoint Energy Market Update
    In this week’s edition, Eric Nuttall, Senior Portfolio Manager of Ninepoint Energy Strategies, shares insights from the Energy Aspects conference in London, where oil CEOs, traders, policymakers, and investors gathered to debate the future of global energy markets.
    Sector Investments
  • Ninepoint Energy Market Update
    In this week's update, Eric shares insights from the Peters & Gale Energy Conference and discusses why sentiment in the oil sector may be on the verge of a major shift.
    Sector Investments
  • Ninepoint Energy Market Update
    In this week's update, Eric returns from a summer break to dissect the growing debate between oil market bulls and bears. With OPEC+ compliance questions, surging non-OPEC supply, and Chinese stockpiling all driving volatility, Eric explains why short-term caution is warranted but why the medium-term outlook remains firmly bullish.
    Sector Investments
  • Ninepoint Energy Market Update
    In this week’s update, Eric Nuttall, Senior Portfolio Manager of Ninepoint Energy Strategies, provides a mid-year update on the energy markets, reviewing the key drivers of volatility in oil and gas during the first half of 2025 and laying out his outlook for the remainder of the year.
    Sector Investments
  • Ninepoint Energy Market Update
    In this week’s update, Eric unpacks a pivotal moment for the oil and gas markets. With global inventories rising faster than expected and OPEC+ accelerating the return of withheld barrels, Eric explains why a near-term oil price correction appears likely, and why US shale could play the critical balancing role in 2026.
    Sector Investments
  • Ninepoint Energy Market Update
    In this week’s update, Eric returns from the RBC Energy Conference with significant updates on U.S. shale, OPEC+ policy shifts, and structural demand growth for natural gas.
    Sector Investments
  • Ninepoint Energy Market Update
    In this week’s update, Eric outlines why he expects oil prices to languish in the $50–$60 range over the next 9 to 12 months, as global oil inventories climb, OPEC+ discipline breaks down, and U.S. shale enters structural decline.
    Sector Investments
  • Ninepoint Energy Market Update
    In this week’s edition, Eric delivers a decisive message on what could be the most consequential shift in oil markets in over a decade: the twilight of US shale.
    Sector Investments