Saudi Arabia to cut oil output by 1 million barrels per day to boost slumping prices
The logo of the Organization of the Petroleoum Exporting Countries (OPEC) is seen outside of OPEC's headquarters in Vienna, Austria, on March 3, 2022. Leading oil-producing countries led by Saudi Arabia and Russia are wrestling with whether to make another cut in crude supplies to the global economy as the OPEC+ alliance struggles to prop up sagging oil prices that have been a boon to U.S. drivers and helped ease inflation worldwide. The group is meeting Sunday, June 4, 2023 at OPEC headquarters in Vienna after sending mixed signals about possible moves. (AP Photo/Lisa Leutner, File)

FRANKFURT, Germany (AP) — Saudi Arabia said Sunday that it will reduce how much oil it sends to the global economy, taking a unilateral step to support the sagging cost of crude after two previous cuts to supply by major oil-producing countries in the OPEC+ alliance failed to push prices higher.

The announcement of Saudi’s cuts of 1 million barrels per day, which will start in July, followed a meeting of the alliance at OPEC headquarters in Vienna. The rest of the OPEC+ producers agreed to extend earlier production cuts through the end of 2024.

“This is a grand day for us, because the quality of the agreement is unprecedented,” Saudi Energy Minister Abdulaziz bin Salman said at a news conference, adding that the new production targets are “much more transparent and much more fair.”

Calling the Saudi reduction a “lollipop,” bin Salman said, “We wanted to ice the cake.” He said the cut could be extended and that the group “will do whatever is necessary to bring stability to this market.”

The slump in oil prices has helped US drivers fill their tanks more cheaply and given consumers worldwide some relief from inflation. It’s possible the latest production cut could send oil prices up and with them, gasoline costs.

That the Saudis felt another cut was necessary underlines the uncertain outlook for demand for fuel in the months ahead. There are concerns about economic weakness in the US and Europe, while China’s rebound from COVID-19 restrictions has been less robust than many had hoped.

Saudi Arabia, the dominant producer in the OPEC oil cartel, was one of several members that agreed on a surprise cut of 1.16 million barrels per day in April. The kingdom’s share was 500,000. That followed OPEC+ announcing in October that it would slash 2 million barrels per day, angering US President Joe Biden by threatening higher gasoline prices a month before the midterm elections.

However, those cuts gave little lasting boost to oil prices. International benchmark Brent crude climbed as high as $87 per barrel but has given up its post-cut gains and been loitering below $75 per barrel in recent days. US crude has dipped below $70.

Those lower prices have helped US drivers kicking off the summer travel season, with prices at the pump averaging $3.55, down $1.02 from a year ago, according to auto club AAA. Falling energy prices also helped inflation in the 20 European countries that use the euro drop to the lowest level since before Russia invaded Ukraine.

The cut follows bin Salman’s sharp warning to speculators betting on lower oil prices. The Saudis need sustained high oil revenue to fund ambitious development projects aimed at diversifying the country’s economy away from oil.

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