Russia has taken center stage in oil exports. For the first time Russia has topped Saudi Arabia in oil exports. Russia exported about 7.4 million barrels per day in the first quarter compared with Saudi Arabia's 7 million barrels per day.
Russian supplies of energy to the US jumped 33% in the past six months compared with a drop of 29% for Saudi Arabia in the same period.
Russian production also benefits Europe. Russia exports a large quantity of its oil to European countries.
Saudi Arabia and OPEC are trying to push oil prices to $75.00 -- $80.00 barrel. Last year OPEC cut production by 4.2 million barrels per day to push up the price.
Now, suddenly Russia moves into first place, threatening OPEC's ability to control prices. In fact, oil analysts are predicting that oil will drop 4.7% to $64.50 per barrel.
US crude supplies are up 13% from a year ago to 343.3 million barrels.
This a significant development in the oil patch. It is the first time that anyone has challenged OPEC in oil production. Hopefully, it will weaken OPEC's stranglehold on the price of oil.
Do you believe that the price of oil will come down this year?
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
9-09-2009 @ 5:11AM
MyKisa said...
....because they drill where there is oil, and they don`t ask enviros for permission....but we can save the earth by retreating to the cave...NOT
9-08-2009 @ 6:59PM
front_page said...
Hoping that OPEC's hold on oil prices weakens, while welcoming Russia's increasing control, is suicidally insane. Goodbye frying pan, hello fire !!
9-08-2009 @ 6:57PM
TEVA said...
Russia will not cut its own throat they are plenty happy to let the Saudias set the price.Mexico has oil a plenty
from what I understand its a lower grade and requires more refineing but you don't have to send it half way around the world and they like the U.S. are holding back production. I find it strange that oil right in our backyards costs more than oil from half way around the world.
9-08-2009 @ 7:05PM
Mike "Ski" Wekarski said...
If the Russians are smart, which I think they are, they will milk out their oil exports at a leisurely but profitable pace to keep their customers in good demand while not putting the customer in economic hardship i.e. the middle eastern opec countries. A world where the consumer and the oil producers can get along is a good world indeed.
9-08-2009 @ 7:49PM
p said...
"Russia has WMDs, oil and they need a democracy, let's invade." -- GWB
9-08-2009 @ 7:33PM
Bill said...
All it took is for us to stop drilling in the US. Now we have the Russians right where we want them.
9-08-2009 @ 7:47PM
Mike said...
Imagine what they can do with all that oil money. This ain't good news. Anyone who doesn't think that electric car power is not the answer to our energy problems is a FOOL.
9-08-2009 @ 8:00PM
p said...
During the early 80s, Russia and Saudi Arabia worked together to limit oil production. You can thank the Saudis, our friends, for odd-even gas days during that time. Then how many American lives lost in the first Bush war of the Persian Gulf during the early 90s to protect the oil fields? Now, China has made huge investments for oil and has not sent ONE solider to fight in the Iraq war. What is protecting China's investment? American lives.
9-08-2009 @ 8:24PM
mark said...
if EVERYONE would buy AMERICAN at every opportunity we could bring back many of our jobs that our great politicians and walmart sent to china. our country needs its manufacturing base back. we also need to shut down a shit load of military bases. im tired of my tax $ going to police the world. let all the other well off countries pay their share.
9-08-2009 @ 9:19PM
petpater said...
Renewable Alternative Energy Is The Only Real Freedom--
How hard is this to grasp?
9-08-2009 @ 10:37PM
FIWIKI said...
TEVA said...
Russia will not cut its own throat they are plenty happy to let the Saudias set the price.Mexico has oil a plenty
from what I understand its a lower grade and requires more refineing but you don't have to send it half way around the world and they like the U.S. are holding back production. I find it strange that oil right in our backyards costs more than oil from half way around the world.******** Mexico's fields are in an ever increasing state of decline, and finding and producing new wells is a slow process in Mexico.
9-08-2009 @ 11:03PM
Greg said...
Certainly the price of oil will come down. Then it will go up; then down; then up. As it has for twenty years. Eventually, every top is ultimately eclipsed. This will continue as long as demand rises and supply struggles to follow. The latest round of financial misfortune has markedly slowed the development of new oil, especially from the semi-large deposits in offshore deep water in the Gulf, off South America and western Africa. In the meanwhile, established olfields are decreasing in output all over the globe. Likely that prices will drop this winter. If you believe that the economy will recover over the next twelve to eighteen months, and that traditional energy will rise in demand as a result, put your money in oil production, because oil price will rise until it chokes the economy.
9-08-2009 @ 11:18PM
Ted said...
The tax rates on American Manufactures is one major reason why Manufacturing jobs will not return to the USA anytime soon. China has zero capital gains tax , The Irish have a 12% Corporate tax rate while the USA has 35% .
Taxes coupled with business regulations and labor cost make doing business in the states much more expensive then doing business over seas . "Un-American perhaps , but the Bottom Line still remains the driving force behind 99% of all Corporations and Companies on the planet.
9-09-2009 @ 12:43AM
nordicman23 said...
Senseless way americans use gasoline for their
own vanity and pleasure is going to haunt
the children in the future.
9-09-2009 @ 1:58AM
Carroll Gregory said...
What is wrong with you people? Now Russia has the upper hand again! We had better get to moving with our geothermal, wind, and Sun, or we will be left out in the cold, and I don't use that term loosely. We have the means to retain the upper hand, and we had better, by God, manage to retain it. Let's not sit on our asses until it is too late to play catch-up. We have the means, lets use it!!!!!
9-09-2009 @ 2:07AM
mauriciolopezsr said...
The Russians are no Dummies they are unloading as much Oil as they can for as much money as they can, because they know the Europeans are ready to start production of Hybrids & Bio-Diesel cars and in the not too far future: Fuel Cell and when that happens, OPEC is going to beg for people to buy their crap!!
9-10-2009 @ 8:44PM
ycav4424 said...
I sure hope they don't forget all of the weapons of war that helped save their a**es. Even the spam that kept them from starving to death. I won't hold my breathe.
9-09-2009 @ 6:21AM
Jim said...
The rule of supply and demand still holds true. Of course, if supply is intentionally cut and demand stays the same the price will unfortunately go up...The thing that we in the USA must deal with...is the developement of our resourses period...There is to much at stake in the overall quality of life to allow any special interest group (read that tree hugger) to illigitimately stop developement of our nations resourses.
9-09-2009 @ 7:57AM
RonRuthNik said...
Do you believe that the price of oil will come down this year?
I sure as heck hope so!