Facing new oil glut, Saudis avoid 1980s mistakes to halt price slide

A view of the Khurais oilfield, about 160 km (99 miles) from Riyadh, - Reuters file pic

DUBAI: Still haunted by its failed attempt to prevent a steep drop in oil prices by slashing production by almost three quarters in the 1980s, the world's top oil exporter Saudi Arabia is determined not to make the same mistake again.

The oil glut of the 1980s, the early days of the modern crude market and a distant memory for most traders, has resurfaced recently in conversations with Saudi officials and veteran analysts who see it as the defining moment behind the kingdom's new strategy to protect medium-term market share.