OPEC Chief Defends Policy, Says Group to Try to Ride Out Price Fall

Some say selling may continue as few participants are yet willing to call a bottom for markets.

But Badri suggested the crude price fall had been overdone. "The fundamentals should not lead to this dramatic reduction (in price)," he said in Arabic through an English interpreter.

He said only a small increase in supply had lead to a sharp drop in prices, adding: "I believe that speculation has entered strongly in deciding these prices."

Asked if OPEC planned an emergency meeting before its next scheduled gathering in June, or a meeting with non-OPEC producers, Badri said such meetings would not have an effect on oil prices.

No Target

OPEC had no target price for oil, Badri said in a reiteration of policy, and urged Gulf states to continue investing in exploration and production, saying the United States would continue to rely on Middle East crude for many years.

Stopping new production projects would bring about a situation in which prices "will go back to $147 a barrel as in 2008. This was a result of a previous such situation," he said, recalling the potential market effect of a dearth in supply brought about by inadequate upstream investment.


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