U.S. Looks to Re-Evaluate Ties With Saudi Arabia Over Oil Production Cut
Saudi Arabia has a well-documented history of suppressing information it feels will threaten its leadership’s legitimacy, but at the same time it has proven itself to be a willing partner in U.S.-led international efforts to contain global warming.
On Wednesday, the White House announced a shift in its international and domestic strategies with a plan to boost U.S. oil production, and Saudi leaders say they welcome it. But as new U.S. data show that crude oil production has fallen since the kingdom’s 2015 production cut as the world has faced the prospect of falling demand due to a glut of oil and increasing global economic growth, the kingdom’s support of such strategies is likely to come into question.
In a statement announcing the upcoming meeting between Trump and the Saudi crown prince, the White House said its strategy would aim to “reduce uncertainty” about U.S. oil policy by “ensuring that all nations continue to use the maximum amount of energy on the global market.”
The White House’s strategy is likely to be at odds with Saudi strategies, as a new report shows how the kingdom used its oil revenue to repress its people and make it more difficult for the United States and global efforts to push back against climate change.
Since Saudi Arabia launched its first oil-price cut in March 2015, it has been a major financial sponsor of a wide array of international energy initiatives, including the Paris climate accord and the shale gas boom.
Saudi Arabia has long been a partner of the U.S. on energy policy, and its government has invested heavily in energy research at universities around the globe.
However, the U.S. has struggled to produce a stable supply of low-cost energy and meet demand, which has largely been met by a booming supply of cheap U.S. fossil fuels.
The latest round of U.S. oil production is expected to drop as much as 3.1 percent in the third quarter, as U.S. exports from the Permian basin, one of the largest shale gas reserves