Saudis may sell oil to companies beside Aramco

Saudi Arabia is considering selling oil to companies outside the Aramco group apparently because its four US corporate partners have let the kingdom's output drop to the lowest level in a decade, the Middle East Economic Survey said.

The Arabian American Oil Company partners said Saudi crude was overpriced, but Riyadh was not contemplating any cut in the kingdom's $34 a barrel price at present, the Cyprus-based magazine said. The Aramco four are: Exxon Corporation, Standard Oil Company of California, Texaco, Inc., and Mobil Corporation.