In a surprising move, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia has announced a voluntary reduction in its oil production by 1 million barrels per day, starting in July. This decision, not accompanied by other OPEC+ members, accounts for a significant 10% decrease in the country's daily output.
The Saudi Energy Minister, Prince Abdulaziz bin Salman Al Saud, unveiled the cut, referring to it as the "Saudi lollipop." The aim is to complement the existing OPEC+ oil production cut deal, which was agreed upon earlier this year. Prince Abdulaziz also mentioned that the duration of the cut could be extended beyond the initial one-month period.
This unilateral action by Saudi Arabia seems to counter the recent announcement by the United Arab Emirates (UAE) to increase its output by 200,000 barrels per day in the coming year. However, experts point out that Saudi Arabia holds a unique position among OPEC+ countries, possessing sufficient oil reserves to significantly adjust production levels.
Following the announcement, oil prices experienced an immediate increase on Monday. This rise has raised concerns in Washington about a potential impact on U.S. gas prices.
Analysts suggest that this move could reflect ongoing tensions with Russia, which has not been aligning its oil production cuts with other OPEC+ members. However, it's worth noting that Russia did participate in the April production cut, which briefly led to higher oil prices.
The decision to reduce oil output may also be influenced by Saudi Arabia's ambitious infrastructure projects, such as the Vision 2030 plan, which includes initiatives like The Line and Neom. These projects require oil prices to remain above a minimum threshold of $81 per barrel to ensure adequate funding.
While the cut in oil production may result in higher gasoline prices in the United States, it could benefit American oil producers. Reuters has reported that U.S. crude oil exports are expected to gain momentum as a result of the Saudi cuts, although this may negatively impact U.S. crude inventories.
Back in October, the United States had announced a reevaluation of its relationship with Saudi Arabia after the OPEC+ oil cartel decided to reduce oil production by 2 million barrels per day.
