VOA常速英语2008年-OPEC to Boost Production Targets, Blames High P

By Sabina Castelfranco
Rome
22 April 2008

OPEC Secretary General Abdalla Salem el-Badri says the cartel plans to boost its oil production targets by five million barrels a day by 2012.  He was speaking on the final day of the International Energy Forum¹ held in Rome. Sabina Castelfranco reports for VOA from the Italian capital.

Speaking on the sidelines of the international energy forum in Rome, Abdalla Salem el-Badri said that members of the Organization of Petroleum² Exporting Countries are planning to spend $160 billion during the next four years to boost production capacity.

The OPEC Secretary General was speaking after crude oil futures³ rose to an all-time high, more than $118 a barrel, boosted by supply instability.  He insisted that oil prices are decided⁴ by the market and implied that OPEC could do nothing to solve the current problem.

"This conference has nothing to do with oil prices; this conference is only a platform for producers and consumers to talk about many issues," el-Badri said. "But to decide on a price, I think nobody can decide the price, the market will decide the price."

U.S. acting⁵ Deputy Secretary of Energy Jeffrey Kupfer said oil prices are clearly too high.  But he added it is important to keep the market well supplied and that OPEC should ensure sufficient supply in the market.

El-Badri has blamed a weak dollar and speculators for soaring oil prices, which are taking a heavy toll⁶ on economies worldwide.  He has said OPEC members are investing to increase both production and refining capacity.

In a separate development at the forum, Iraqi Oil Minister Hussain al-Shahristani said again that contracts between the autonomous⁷ northern Iraqi Kurds and foreign companies are invalid⁸.

"We do not recognize them and we have informed all the oil companies that these contracts have no standing," al-Shahristani said.

The Kurdish regional government has signed more than a dozen exploration and export contracts with 20 international companies since it passed its own oil law last August, angering the central government in Baghdad.

Shahristani also announced that Iraq would shortly increase production of oil.  He said 35 companies from 16 countries that will be competing in the first licensing⁹ round, which will be announced in the summer.  He added that with the development of the fields through this bid, another 1.5 million barrels will be added to the 2.5 million barrels being produced.

1 forum   

n.论坛，讨论会

参考例句：

• They're holding a forum on new ways of teaching history.他们正在举行历史教学讨论会。
• The organisation would provide a forum where problems could be discussed.这个组织将提供一个可以讨论问题的平台。

2 petroleum   

n.原油，石油

参考例句：

• The Government of Iran advanced the price of petroleum last week.上星期伊朗政府提高了石油价格。
• The purpose of oil refinery is to refine crude petroleum.炼油厂的主要工作是提炼原油。

3 futures   

n.期货，期货交易

参考例句：

• He continued his operations in cotton futures.他继续进行棉花期货交易。
• Cotton futures are selling at high prices.棉花期货交易的卖价是很高的。

4 decided   

adj.决定了的，坚决的；明显的，明确的

参考例句：

• This gave them a decided advantage over their opponents.这使他们比对手具有明显的优势。
• There is a decided difference between British and Chinese way of greeting.英国人和中国人打招呼的方式有很明显的区别。

5 acting   

n.演戏，行为，假装；adj.代理的，临时的，演出用的

参考例句：

• Ignore her,she's just acting.别理她，她只是假装的。
• During the seventies,her acting career was in eclipse.在七十年代，她的表演生涯黯然失色。

6 toll   

n.过路(桥)费；损失，伤亡人数；v.敲(钟)

参考例句：

• The hailstone took a heavy toll of the crops in our village last night.昨晚那场冰雹损坏了我们村的庄稼。
• The war took a heavy toll of human life.这次战争夺去了许多人的生命。

7 autonomous   

adj.自治的；独立的

参考例句：

• They proudly declared themselves part of a new autonomous province.他们自豪地宣布成为新自治省的一部分。
• This is a matter that comes within the jurisdiction of the autonomous region.这件事是属于自治区权限以内的事务。

8 invalid   

n.病人，伤残人；adj.有病的，伤残的；无效的

参考例句：

• He will visit an invalid.他将要去看望一个病人。
• A passport that is out of date is invalid.护照过期是无效的。

9 licensing   

v.批准，许可，颁发执照( license的现在分词 )

参考例句：

• A large part of state regulation consists of occupational licensing. 大部分州的管理涉及行业的特许批准。 来自英汉非文学 - 行政法
• That licensing procedures for projects would move faster. 这样的工程批准程序一定会加快。 来自辞典例句