LONDON ø OPEC has sought to calm the global market for crude oil
while playing down expectations of another production increase.
OPEC oil ministers, who began their session on Wednesday in Vienna, said
they did not expect the organization to approve a significant increase in
the quota of the 10 member states, Middle East Newsline reported. They said that with the exception of
Saudi Arabia, OPEC members were producing at maximum capacity. Saudi Arabia
said it would oppose any decision to increase its current output of 9.5
million barrels of oil per day.
"When we talk about capacity, I believe that they are producing the
maximum," Qatari Oil Minister Abdullah Bin Hamad
Al Attiyah said. "The quotas are not an issue. Everybody knows today the
high price is not related to demand and supply, but is related to fears."
Oil ministers said OPEC was preparing to obtain a study on the price of
crude oil, which at one point last month reached nearly $50 per barrel. They
said OPEC planned to increase the price band of oil to about $30 a barrel.