Reuters Survey: OPEC Oil Production Drops To Four-Year Low

OPEC's production dropped to a four-year low in February, helped by Saudi Arabia and its Arab Gulf allies overachieving in their shares of cuts, the Reuters monthly survey showed on Friday.

According to the survey tracking supply to the market and information provided by sources at oil companies, consulting firms, and OPEC, the cartel's oil production in February 2019 fell by 300,000 bpd compared to January to stand at 30.68 million bpd- the lowest production level since February 2015, according to Reuters surveys.

Saudi Arabia has already signaled that it will be cut to 9.8 million bpd in March, some 500,000 bpd below its commitment in the OPEC + deal. Saudi Arabia's Energy Minister Khalid al-Falih said last month that Saudi Arabia would also cut its crude oil to nearly 6.9 million bpd in March, slashed from 8.2 million bpd just three months ago.

The eleven OPEC members bound by the production cut deal achieved compliance of 101 percent in February, the Reuters survey found, suggesting that the cartel's largest producer and de facto leader Saudi Arabia slashed production by more than it had pledged in the agreement. Production in the United States of America.

OPEC production in January-the start of the new cuts-dropped by 797,000 bpd to average 30.81 million bpd. Saudi Arabia slashed production by 350,000 bpd from December to 10,213 million bpd in January, and its Arab Gulf allies Kuwait and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) also cut output substantially. Production in Venezuela -excluded from the cuts along with Libya and Iran-plunged by another 59,000 bpd to stand at just 1.106 million bpd in January.

OPEC will release its figures for the February 14 production on March 14.

By Tsvetana Paraskova for Oilprice.com

More Top Reads From Oilprice.com: