Table 2-8 Location of OPEC Countries
Source: Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries: member countries. Organization of petroleum exporting countries. [2065 438+02106] and field list. CIA World Profile. Central intelligence agency. [2009 1 4].
Although OPEC cannot control the international oil market because its member countries' oil and natural gas output only accounts for about 40% and 14% of the world's total oil and natural gas output respectively, its oil exports account for about 60% of the world's oil trade volume and have a strong influence on the international oil market. The organization implements a unified oil price policy and quota system in order to stabilize oil prices at a high level; It is also the most powerful and difficult international organization in the history of the world (Table 2-9).
Due to the changes in the world oil demand situation, the oil market has changed from a buyer's market to a seller's market, and the power of the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries has also increased day by day. For example, according to the energy report data of BP Company in 20 13 years, during the period from 1970 to 20 12 years, the oil consumption in the United States increased from 147 1× 104 barrels per day to/kloc-0. China's oil consumption increased by 17.38 times, from 55.6× 104 barrels per day to1022./kloc-0 /×104 barrels per day. Moreover, China's oil imports in 20 12 years increased by 1.2 1 times compared with 2005, from 245.7× 104 barrels per day to 543.3× 104 barrels per day.
The organization aims to maintain the stability and prosperity of the oil market, and is committed to providing consumers with a stable oil supply at reasonable prices, taking into account the interests of oil producing and consuming countries. It achieves this goal by actively reducing oil production or increasing oil production when the market supply is insufficient. For example, during the Gulf crisis of 1990, the organization greatly increased its oil production to make up for the gap of 3 million barrels per day in the oil market after Iraq suffered economic sanctions.
Table 2-9 Events of the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries Affecting Oil Prices
In addition, the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries also leads the economic activities of oil trading into political activities. 1973 10 As part of the war against Israel, Saudi Arabia led other Arab countries to launch an oil embargo against the west, which led to the western energy crisis. Due to the economic success of the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC), a large number of petrodollars have rapidly flowed into the least densely populated corners of the earth for decades. In the late 20th century, the annual oil revenue of the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries reached US$ 65,438+0,500× 65,438+0,008.