Saudi Arabia will this week tell regular customers how much oil they will receive next month, and the signs so far are supply will be little changed as the leading exporter resists market pressure to produce more.

As oil has climbed to $100 well above Saudi's preferred range of $70-$80 a barrel, the kingdom has said it is ready to pump extra oil but only if justified by demand. It is not willing to deliver crude into a vacuum.

'We cannot put oil in markets that don't need it,' Saudi Oil Minister Ali al-Naimi has said.

Industry sources said they have not requested increased supply and that demand from China, the world's fastest-growing fuel market, has been constrained by refinery maintenance.

One Singapore-based trader said, 'The Saudis may reduce exports to the East because of the turnarounds here but increase to the West because turnarounds are falling in the West.'

In Europe, however, demand has stagnated, compounded by a looming seasonal lull as the northern hemisphere winter ends and before the start of the US summer driving season, which could draw some refined products across the Atlantic.

'We don't expect any changes. We have nominated our requirements and they are pretty much the same,' said a trader with a European oil company. 'Margins are weak and demand is weak,' he added.-Reuters