TOKYO (Reuters) - Last year's agreement between OPEC and non-OPEC countries to cut output will not impact Saudi Arabia's oil supplies to Japan, Aabed Al-Saadoun, deputy minister for company affairs at Saudi Arabia's Ministry of Energy, Industry and Mineral Resources, said on Thursday.
"The recent agreement among OPEC (Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries) and non-OPEC members for oil exports reduction will not impact our commitments and oil exports to Japan," the official said, speaking at an oil industry symposium in Tokyo.
Under the accord reach late last year, OPEC, Russia and other non-OPEC members will curtail oil output by nearly 1.8 million barrels per day (bpd), initially for six months starting Jan. 1.
Saudi Aradia, which said it pumped 10.47 million bpd in December, has cut production slightly below the target it adopted under an agreement between OPEC and non-OPEC producers last year, Saudi Energy Minister Khalid al-Falih said earlier this month.
State-run Saudi Aramco has cut February term crude supplies to refiners in India and Southeast Asia, but it kept February supplies to most North Asian refiners at full volumes for a second month, trade sources said, indicating it will have to continue cutting exports to Europe and the United States.