Kuwait pumped more than 2.8 million barrels a day (b/d) of oil in August, its highest level since the start of the global economic downturn in late 2008.

Oil Minister Mohammad al-Busairi said in a statement to state-run Kuna news agency that the country has not produced more than 2.8 million b/d since output peaked at 2.85 million b/d in September 2008, according to official data provided by the Joint Data Initiative (JODI), just before oil demand dipped in the global economic crisis.

Kuwait’s current output capacity stands at 3.5 million b/d, according to the oil minister.

With higher crude production resulting in more associated gas, Kuwait looks unlikely to require further liquefied natural gas (LNG) imports to meet its peak summer demand (MEED 2:8:11).