LONDON – OPEC in June did not deliver on an oil output increase pledged under a deal with allies, a Reuters survey on Friday showed, as involuntary declines in Libya and Nigeria offset supply increases by Saudi Arabia and other large producers.
The Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) pumped 28.52 million barrels per day (bpd) in June, the survey found, down 100,000 bpd from May’s revised total. OPEC had planned to boost June output by about 275,000 bpd.
OPEC plus Russia and other allies, known as OPEC+, are unwinding 2020 output cuts made due to the pandemic, although many are struggling to do so. OPEC+ at a meeting Thursday stuck to its planned output hike for August.
The deal called for a 432,000 bpd increase in June from all OPEC+ members, of which about 275,000 bpd is shared by the 10 OPEC producers the agreement covers. Supply from the 10 rose by just 20,000 bpd, the survey found.
Output undershot pledged hikes between October and April, with the exception of February, according to Reuters surveys, as many producers lack the capacity to pump more due to insufficient investment, a trend accelerated by the pandemic.
As a result, the 10 OPEC members are pumping far less than called for under the deal. OPEC compliance with pledged cuts was 253% in June, the survey found, up from 178% in May.
