dave:re ...I don't think you can "turn off the spigot" at the distribution channel, merely force rerouting and increase distribution expense...
Control is done exactly so, by controlling the expense. And the concept of expense is very broad..
re...The Suadi's can stop production at the wellhead...
Those decisions are made more specifically by the royal family. The royal family persists on the throne at the decision of its protectors. [And in balanced quid-pro-quo, the oil revenues flow into and support the banking systems,etc of the latter.Only that balance, or equivalent leverage forces, causes the arrangement to continue.