OPEC decreased production by 2 million barrels per day in 2019

Monitoring Desk

ABU DHABI: Recent statistics issued by the Organisation of the Petroleum Exporting Countries, OPEC, highlighted a decrease in its production by 6.3 percent or some 2 million barrels per day in 2019, compared to 2018.

This decrease is in line with the organisation’s recent decisions, in coordination with major independent producers, to maintain the balance in the global oil market.

In December 2019, Organisation of the Petroleum Exporting Countries, Organisation of the Petroleum Exporting Countries, issued decisions to reduce production by 500,000 barrels per day, which increased the ceiling of the reduction to some 1.7 million barrels per day over the past few years.

Daily production decreased to some 29.86 million barrels per day by the end of 2019, compared to 31.864 million in 2018.

According to the organisation’s statistics, production decreased during the first half of 2019 to 29.974 million barrels per day, and this decrease continued in the second half of the year, accounting for 29.6 million barrels.

By calculating daily production rates throughout the year, this figure reached 29.86 million barrels.

On a monthly level, production decreased in December to 29.444 million barrels per day, compared to 29.60 million in November.

The production decline in December contributed to a surge in the price of Organisation of the Petroleum Exporting Countries’s oil basket by 5.6 percent, reaching US$66.48 per barrel, the highest price since April 2019.

The Organisation of the Petroleum Exporting Countries, reportedly decided to reduce production in 2018 through March 2019, but it has since renewed its decision to maintain the market’s balance. (WAM)