OPEC ministers agree to boost oil output

ISFAHAN, Iran - OPEC ministers on Wednesday authorized the pumping of an extra half-million barrels of crude oil a day and held out prospects of a similar boost later if needed.

Oil prices moved above $56 a barrel Wednesday, however, hitting a new intraday high. The spike came after the latest supply report from the government showed domestic inventories of gasoline and heating oil falling sharply last week, while crude supplies rose.

As oil prices climbed, President Bush said Wednesday he was worried about high energy prices and tight supplies.

“I am concerned about the price of energy. I’m concerned about what it means to the average American family when they see the price of gasoline going up,” Bush told reporters at a White House press conference.

“I think if you look at all the statistics, demand is outracing supply and supplies are getting tight. And that’s why you’re seeing the price reflected,” Bush said.

OPEC’s production move reflected the cartel’s concerns about the next cold season. Trying to ease worries, OPEC’s president, Kuwaiti Oil Minister Sheik Ahmed Fahd Al Ahmed Al Sabah, told reporters that at full capacity — and including Iraq, which is exempt from OPEC quotas while rebuilding — the oil-producer group could pump some 31 million barrels a day.

That would represent a daily increase of about 1.5 million barrels from present levels.

Edmund Dakouru, Nigeria’s presidential adviser on oil matters said the ministers of the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries will meet again June 7, and another official said the venue will be Vienna, Austria.

Officials earlier said the higher output quota was effective April 1, but an OPEC statement later said it took effect “immediately.”

The decision will officially raise the group’s ceiling to an all-time high of 27.5 million barrels a day. But with Iraq and quota-busting factored in, OPEC is already producing close to 29.5 million barrels.

OPEC officials conceded the group’s decision was driven by concern of potential shortfalls come next winter, when demand for oil and refined products is traditionally high.

“The industry is very scared of the second half” of the year, said an official at the meeting, who demanded anonymity.

Dakouru, the Nigerian oil official, said “the extra oil will go a long way” toward meeting any concerns about winter supply.

In past years, OPEC output hikes have normally dampened prices, by sending the message that supply is available to meet demand.

This time though, the move only reflected realities — members bound by the quota already produce about 700,000 barrels a day above the group’s official ceiling.

And instead of taming markets, the timing of the increase raised questions about next time. Most forecasts predict even greater world demand in the future.

“Market reaction has been almost nil,” said Frederic Lasserre, head of commodities research at SG Securities in Paris. “The market is very concerned that even the Saudis might be short of spare capacity by the end of the year.”

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