据彭博社伦敦消息，美国在全球石油贸易中的领先地位之路即将迎来另一个里程碑。

在页岩油繁荣的推动下，美国的原油产量已经超过了俄罗斯和沙特阿拉伯，而沙特阿拉伯直到最近还一直在争夺这一位置。到了年中，美国会变得更好。

根据国际能源机构的数据，沙特阿拉伯目前可以将产量提高到1200万桶/日的最高产能，超过美国去年12月1180万桶/日的产能。但是很快，即使1200万桶/日也是不够的。

<p style="TEXT-JUSTIFY: distribute; TEXT-ALIGN: justify" align="justify">根据IEA的数据，美国的原油产量今年将增加110万桶/日，预计美国将在未来六个月内超过沙特的最高水平。

这家总部位于巴黎的机构在上周五的一份报告中表示：“到今年年中，美国原油产量可能会超过沙特阿拉伯或俄罗斯的产能。”

这种额外的规模可能不会转化为对价格的更大影响力，不管怎样，只有沙特仍然愿意在市场上存在过多石油时抑制产能，沙特将保持其作为所谓的摇摆生产者的独特地位。

詹晓晶  摘自  彭博社

原文如下：

U.S. could soon produce more crude than Saudis can at their peak

America’s journey to preeminence in the global oil trade is about to hit another milestone. 

Propelled by the shale-oil boom, the U.S. is already producing more crude than either Russia or Saudi Arabia, who until recently vied for the top spot. By mid-year America will go one better.

At the moment, Saudi Arabia could raise production all the way up to its maximum capacity of 12 MMbpd, surpassing the 11.8 MMbpd produced by the U.S. in December, according to the International Energy Agency. Soon even that won’t be enough.

American crude output is poised to expand by 1.1 MMbpd this year, according to the IEA, which sees the U.S. exceeding the Saudis’ maximum level within the next six months.

“By the middle of the year, U.S. crude output will probably be more than the capacity of either Saudi Arabia or Russia,” the Paris-based agency said in a report on Friday.

That extra magnitude probably won’t translate into increased influence over prices, however. As only the Saudis remain willing to hold back production capacity when there’s too much oil on the market, the kingdom will retain its unique position as the so-called swing producer.​