Crude exports from Saudi Arabia reached their highest point in May compared to the preceding three months, according to a Reuters report citing data released by the Joint Organizations Data Initiative (JODI) on July 21.

Exports from the country increased to 6.191mn barrels per day (bpd) from 6.166mn bpd in April.

Indeed, crude output for May lay at 9.184mn bpd – compared to 9.005mn bpd in April – and refinery crude throughput rose by 0.017mn bpd from 2.704mn bpd in April to 2.272mn bpd the following month.

Data also showed that direct crude burning had risen by 112,000 bpd to 489,000 bpd.

Information provided by JODI is obtained from OPEC directly, with member nations such as Saudi Arabia providing monthly export figures that get published on the organisation’s website, according to Reuters.

OPEC+ consists of OPEC members and other allies such as Russia, which agreed to increase production by 548,000 bpd in August – hastening output increases following the spike and subsequent decline in oil prices after the US and Israel attacked Iran.

According to Reuters, OPEC+ is set to approve an additional increase for September once its next meeting in August ends.

This is in line with the group’s previous decisions that saw it reduce cuts of 2.17mn bpd in April with an increase of 138,000 bpd, followed by additional increases in May, June and July in contrast to decreasing oil prices.

According to Saudi Arabia’s energy ministry, Saudi Arabia has remained compliant with its voluntary OPEC+ output target. The ministry also noted that Saudi-marketed crude supply was at 9.352mn bpd in June – as required by the quota.

Increases after April had been anticipated, with OPEC oil output falling in March in place of an expected output increase, according to a Reuters survey revealed on April 7, with Iran, Nigeria and Venezuela all reducing supply that month.

The survey noted that OPEC produced only 26.63mn bpd that month – a decrease of 110,000 bpd from the total recorded in February.

That same month, a panel led by Saudi Arabia and Russia decided to limit crude supplies throughout the first quarter of 2025 with the aim of restoring output gradually from April.

Shedding light on the issue, Algeria’s Energy Ministry said in a statement at the time that despite doubts, “market fundamentals remain strong, as indicators of economic growth recovery are showing in several regions”. The official added that OPEC expected a “greater recovery in demand for oil starting April after a seasonal slowdown during the first three months of the year”.