Oil prices hit their highest in about six months on Tuesday as sources said Gulf Opec members were ready to raise output only if there was demand before offsetting any shortfall following a US decision to end waivers for buyers of Iranian crude.
Output in Saudi Arabia, leading member of the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries, will rise in May, but that it is not related to Iran sanctions, the sources said.
The sources said Saudi production in May will also still within its production target under an Opec+ supply-cutting deal, which has led global supply cuts since the start of the year aimed at propping up crude prices.
The group is set to meet in June to discuss output policy.
The US on Monday demanded that buyers of Iranian oil stop purchases by May 1 or face sanctions, ending six months of waivers which allowed Iran's eight biggest buyers, most of them in Asia, to continue importing limited volumes.
US President Donald Trump said he was confident that Saudi Arabia and the UAE will fulfil their pledges to make up the difference in oil markets, a US official told reporters Monday.
"The Saudis aren't rushing to fill what could be a substantial supply gap in the market," said John Kilduff, a partner at Again Capital Management LLC. "The market has gotten tight globally over the course of the last several months, primarily because of the efforts of Saudi Arabia."
US crude futures rose 89 cents a barrel, or 1.3%, to $66.44 by 11.52am EDT (1552 GMT). The level was the highest since October 31.
Brent crude rose 48 cents a barrel to $74.53. Brent earlier touched $74.70, a level not seen since November 1.
Before the reimposition of sanctions last year, Iran was the fourth-largest producer among Opec at around 3mn bpd, but April exports have shrunk to below 1mn bpd, according to tanker data and industry sources.
China, Iran's largest customer with imports of about 585,400 bpd of crude oil last year, formally complained to Washington over the move, which a Chinese foreign ministry spokesman said "will contribute to volatility in the Middle East and in the international energy market."
Barclays bank said in a note that the US decision took many market participants by surprise and would "lead to a significant tightening of oil markets".
The move to increase pressure on Iran came amid other sanctions Washington has placed on Venezuela's oil exports and as combat threatens to disrupt Libya's exports.
