Saudi Arabia is poised to unilaterally boost its oil output by 500,000 barrels per day (bpd) by the end of August, industry sources said. The kingdom, the world's biggest oil producer, has already turned up its taps by 250,000 bpd and aims to lift output by the same amount starting from August 1, the sources added.
The extra Saudi barrels will head for markets in the U.S. and the Far East, they said. OPEC President and Venezuelan Oil Minister Ali Rodriguez said on Tuesday OPEC would not raise production this month because prices for its basket of crudes had fallen below the $28 a barrel threshold for a supply increase.