OPEC oil output rises more on Libya restart, says survey

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Updated 31 October 2020
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OPEC oil output rises more on Libya restart, says survey

  • Higher Iraqi exports and hit to global demand put pressure on OPEC+ to delay planned production boost

LONDON: OPEC oil output has risen for a fourth month in October, a Reuters survey found, as a restart of more Libyan installations and higher Iraqi exports offset full adherence by other members to an OPEC-led supply cut deal.

The 13-member Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries has pumped 24.59 million barrels per day (bpd) on average in October, the survey found, up 210,000 bpd from September and a further boost from the three-decade low reached in June.
An increase in OPEC supply and a new hit to demand as coronavirus cases rise have weighed on oil prices, which have fallen 8 percent in October to near $37 a barrel. This puts pressure on OPEC and allies, known as OPEC+, to postpone a planned January 2021 supply boost, some analysts say.
“Oil demand is currently not supportive,” said Stephen Brennock of broker PVM. “At the bare minimum, OPEC+ will have to roll over its current production levels until the end of March.” Libya is one of the OPEC members exempted from a deal by OPEC+ to curb supply.
OPEC+ made a record cut of 9.7 million bpd, or 10 percent of global output, from May as the pandemic destroyed demand. Since August, the group has been pumping more as the cut tapered down to 7.7 million bpd, of which OPEC’s share is 4.868 million bpd.
In October, OPEC countries bound by the deal have delivered 101 percent of the pledged reduction, the survey found, steady from September. October’s increase means OPEC is pumping about 2.2 million bpd more than June’s figure, which was the lowest since 1991.
Libyan production is rising after Eastern Libyan commander Khalifa Haftar said his forces would lift their eight-month blockade of oil exports.
The survey found output increased by 250,000 bpd in October, a faster rebound than some analysts and OPEC officials expected.

FASTFACT

OPEC pumped 24.59 million barrels per day on average in October.

The second-largest increase came from Iraq, which lifted exports from its southern terminals. Compliance was still almost 100 percent, higher than Iraq managed in earlier OPEC+ deals. Top exporter Saudi Arabia kept output steady, as did Kuwait, the survey found.
There was little change in supply from Iran, which is also exempt from the OPEC cut, after an increase in September in defiance of US sanctions. Exports have been slightly lower in October, the survey found.
Among the OPEC members lowering output, the biggest reduction came from the UAE, which had pumped above its quota in August. Industry sources said the reduction suggests the UAE is still compensating for its August increase.
Venezuela, the third OPEC member exempt from the supply cut, also posted a decline.
The Reuters survey aims to track supply to the market and is based on shipping data provided by external sources, Refinitiv Eikon flows data, information from tanker-trackers such as Petro-Logistics and Kpler,
and information provided by sources at oil companies, OPEC and consultants.


Saudi Arabia nears 2030 tourism target as visitor numbers hit 122m in 2025

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Saudi Arabia nears 2030 tourism target as visitor numbers hit 122m in 2025

JEDDAH: Saudi Arabia is getting closer to its 2030 tourism target after it welcomed an estimated 122 million visitors in 2025, a 5 percent annual increase, according to preliminary official data.

The milestone marks a significant step toward Vision 2030’s target of 150 million annual visitors. It comes as total tourism spending reached an estimated SR300 billion ($81 billion), up 6 percent from 2024, underscoring the sector’s growing economic impact, according to the Ministry of Tourism.

The development reflects strategic investments in global destination projects, visa reforms, and expanded hospitality infrastructure that underpin Vision 2030’s drive to diversify the economy and position the Kingdom as a leading tourism hub.

The Minister of Tourism Ahmed Al-Khateeb highlighted the achievement on X, thanking Saudi Arabia’s leadership for their support, which he said “delivered another year of record performance and sustained growth.”

He added: “These preliminary figures, unveiled at WEF26 (World Economic Forum 2026), underscore a clear reality: Saudi tourism is no longer an emerging story. It is a growth engine, building investor confidence, shaping global demand, and unlocking long-term opportunity at scale.”

In 2024, the Kingdom welcomed 116 million tourists, exceeding its annual visitor target for the second consecutive year, according to the Ministry of Tourism’s statistical report released in June. 

The total comprised 29.7 million inbound visitors, marking an 8 percent year-on-year increase, and 86.2 million domestic trips, up 5 percent from 2023.

After surpassing its original 100 million visitor target six years ahead of schedule in 2023, the Kingdom revised its tourism ambitions, setting a new goal of 150 million annual tourists by 2030, including 70 million international visitors and 80 million domestic tourists.

Tourism currently accounts for 18 percent of global gross domestic product and 5 percent of the Kingdom’s GDP, Minister Al-Khateeb said, according to the Saudi Press Agency.

Speaking at a session titled “AI and the Future of Tourism” during the ninth Future Investment Initiative conference in October, Al-Khateeb said: “We aspire to double that figure within the next five years, which will represent 10 percent of total jobs.”

The minister highlighted the rapid transformation of the Kingdom’s tourism landscape, driven by the expansion of new segments such as entertainment, sports, culture, and conferences, events, and exhibitions.