RIYADH, Saudi Arabia (Bloomberg) -- Saudi Arabian Oil Co. will complete the expansion of its Shaybah oil field by the end of May, allowing the biggest crude exporter in the world to maintain the level of its total production capacity, according to two people with knowledge of the plan.

 

Shaybah’s production capacity will rise to 1 MMbpd from 750,000 bpd, said the people, who asked not to be identified because the information isn’t public. The field, in the Empty Quarter desert near the border with the United Arab Emirates, produces extra light grade crude with API gravity of 42 degrees, they said.

 

Shaybah’s expansion will help Saudi Aramco, as the state producer is known, to keep the company’s output capacity at 12 MMbpd, they said.

 

Saudi Arabia is maintaining investments in oil production as the kingdom pursues a strategy to defend market share amid a global glut. Saudi Aramco will keep investing in its crude oil production capacity, CEO Amin Nasser said last month. The company also plans to complete the expansion of Khurais oil field to 1.5 MMbpd in 2018, he said.

 

Record Production

 

Saudi Arabia set a crude production record of 10.564 MMbpd in June, exceeding a previous high in 1980, according to data the kingdom submitted to the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries. The country increased output after it led the group to change strategy in November 2014, fighting for market share instead of supporting prices by cutting production.

 

Saudi Arabia could raise crude output by more than a million barrels a day immediately if there was demand for it, Saudi Deputy Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman said in an interview earlier this month. Aramco could increase output to 11.5 MMbpd immediately and go to 12.5 MMbpd in six to nine months "if we wanted to," said the prince, who is also chairman of Aramco’s Supreme Council.

 

The country pumped 10.2 MMbpd last month, according to data compiled by Bloomberg. If the kingdom chose to increase investment in its oil industry, total production capacity could be increased to 20 MMbpd but not beyond that level, the prince said.