OPEC
production down in January
eCanadaNow
Nicosia
Petroleumworld.com 02 27 06
Oil production for the ten main members of the Organisation of Petroleum
Exporting Countries (OPEC) fell in January by 120,000 barrels per
day to 26.87 million, the Middle East Economic Survey reported Monday.
The drop
was due to production losses in Iran and Nigeria, while Gulf producers
maintained the improved production discipline seen in December, it
said.
The Cyprus-based
weekly publication said that total OPEC production, including Iraq
and newcomer Angola, reached 30.05 million barrels per day.
Setting
aside Angolan output of 1.5 million barrels per day in the month,
total production was down by 240,000 barrels per day after Iraqi production
fell to a new low in a year of 1.68 million barrels per day, with
exports dropping but local supplies remaining steady.
Iranian
production in the month comprised 2.45 million barrels per day of
exports and 1,45 million barrels per day of deliveries to domestic
refiners for a total 3.90 million barrels per day, down from Decembers
3.95 million barrels per day.
Nigerian
production fell further to 2.2 million barrels per day, the lowest
level since last July, due to militant attacks on the operations of
Shell and Eni, which forced the shut-in of additional crude streams
from Brass River.
The MEES
report added that militant action is expected to increase ahead of
the April presidential elections, worsening the prospects fro any
of the estimated 600,000 barrels per day of shut-in output to resume
in the near term.
eCanadaNow 26 02 07
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