Crude-oil output from the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries averaged 29.9 million barrels a day in April, up 100,000 barrels a day from a month earlier, with higher Iraqi flows offsetting a drop in Nigeria 's production, according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration.

Output from Saudi Arabia , the world's biggest oil exporter, was 9.0 million barrels a day, unchanged from a month earlier. Saudi output was down 900,000 barrels a day from a year earlier. The Saudis lifted output last year amid global efforts to stiffen sanctions on Iran over its developing nuclear-weapons program. The U.S. and the European Union led the efforts, charging that Iran 's nuclear efforts went beyond Tehran 's proclaimed efforts to establish a peaceful, nuclear-power program.

OPEC's April output was 1.4 million barrels a day below the year-earlier level, with the difference due to the scaling back by the Saudis and a cut of 500,000 barrels a day in Iran 's output, to 2.8 million barrels a day, caused by stricter sanctions, including an EU embargo on Iranian oil imports. Iran 's output was unchanged from March, the EIA said.

Global surplus oil-production capacity is up 800,000 barrels a day now compared with the year-earlier level, due to the drop in Saudi output.

The EIA, in a bimonthly report to Congress on the oil-market situation required by Iran sanctions laws, said global oil demand is averaging 89 million barrels a day in April, down 600,000 barrels a day from March. On average in March and April, global oil use averaged 89.3 million barrels a day, up 1.1 million barrels a day from a year earlier.

In the major industrialized nations that comprise the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development, demand averaged 45.3 million barrels a day during March and April, down 100,000 barrels a day from a year earlier. Demand in the U.S. , the world's biggest oil consumer, was 18.3 million barrels a day, unchanged from a year earlier. Demand from OECD Europe dropped 300,000 barrels in the latest two months from the same time in 2012, to 13.3 million barrels a day.

Non-OECD oil-demand growth continued to lead global gains, rising 1.2 million barrels a day in March and April versus a year earlier, to 44 million barrels a day. China , the world's second-biggest oil consumer after the U.S. , posted a rise of 400,000 barrels a day in the period versus a year earlier, to 10.6 million barrels a day. The EIA said other non-OECD nations, outside of the former Soviet Union , Europe and China , recorded demand growth of 700,000 barrels a day in March and April, compared with the same period in 2012.

Non-OPEC oil output rose 300,000 barrels a day in March and April from a year earlier. North Sea production fell 600,000 barrels a day in the period due to production problems, and output from Mexico slipped 100,000 barrels a day, offsetting a rise of 700,000 barrels a day in U.S. output.

The EIA said the global oil supply-demand picture is "looser" than in its previous assessment, for January and February.

Global demand outpaced production in March and April, pulling down global stocks by 1.1 million barrels a day in the period, the EIA said.

"Despite consumption exceeding production, crude-oil prices were lower during the two-month period, reflecting weaker expectations for global economic growth," the EIA said.

North Sea Brent crude-oil front-month futures price reached its lowest level since July 2012, averaging about $99 a barrel for the five-day period ended April 23, about $15 a barrel lower compared with the five-day average ended Feb. 26, the EIA noted. The average Brent price for March and April 2013 is nearly $16 a barrel below the same two-month period last year.

The EIA said the declines in global oil inventories "mark a return to a typical seasonal inventory change pattern," despite representing a "sharp contrast to the unusual" increase of 900,000 barrels a day during March and April 2012.

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