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Saudi Arabia’s oil minister has issued a warning that oil prices could fall to $50 a barrel if certain OPEC+ members continue to exceed their agreed production limits, as reported by delegates referenced in The Wall Street Journal.
The comments suggest Saudi Arabia’s potential consideration of a price war to protect its market share if OPEC+ members fail to comply with their production quotas. OPEC+—the alliance between the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) and its allies—is scheduled to meet in December to address potential adjustments to production limits.
$50 Oil Price Threat and OPEC+ Compliance
Amidst global geopolitical tensions, oil prices have remained relatively low, experiencing only short-lived increases after specific incidents. However, Saudi officials are reportedly frustrated by the continuous decline in prices, partially caused by some OPEC+ members ignoring their production commitments. This issue has raised concerns about a potential drop to $50 oil price per barrel if compliance is not enforced.
The Wall Street Journal detailed a recent conference call in which Saudi Arabia’s Prince Abdulaziz bin Salman directly called out Iraq and Kazakhstan for exceeding their production quotas. Iraq reportedly overproduced by 400,000 barrels per day in August, while Kazakhstan's output is projected to increase with the return of its Tengiz field.
A delegate noted to the WSJ, “The Saudi message was ‘there is no point in adding more barrels if there isn’t room for them in the market.’” This underscores Saudi Arabia’s stance on maintaining production discipline within the OPEC+ coalition to stabilize oil prices.
OPEC+ Production Cuts and Price Fluctuations
Despite OPEC+'s efforts to stabilize the oil market through production cuts, major benchmarks have seen a 16% decline in the last quarter. Saudi Arabia has a history of increasing its production to defend its market position when other OPEC+ members undermine its efforts, as seen in previous price wars. The warning about a potential $50 oil price acts as a strong reminder of the kingdom's influence over the global oil market.
