Saudi Arabia to cut crude oil exports in April ‘despite strong demand’

Saudi Arabia plans to cut its crude oil exports in April to below 7 million barrels per day (bpd), while keeping its output “well below” 10 million bpd, a Saudi official said on Monday, as the kingdom seeks to drain a supply glut and support oil prices.

State-owned Saudi Aramco’s oil allocations for April are 635,000 bpd below customers’ nominations — requests made by refiners and clients for Saudi crude, the Saudi official said.

“Despite very strong demand from international waterborne customers at more than 7.6 million bpd, customers were allocated less than 7 million bpd,” the official said.

March’s oil exports will also be below 7 million bpd, the official said.