美石油高管稱頁岩油產量將反彈

A leading figure in the US oil industry has insisted the shale slowdown is temporary and rejected claims by Saudi Arabia that it was succeeding in squeezing American shale producers.

美國石油業一位領軍人物堅持認爲，頁岩油產量下滑是臨時的，他拒絕接受沙特阿拉伯有關成功排擠美國頁岩油生產商的說法。

Harold Hamm, chief executive of Continental Resources, rejected claims by a Saudi official, reported in the Financial Times yesterday, that the lower oil price had deterred investment in higher-cost sources of oil, such as shale.

英國《金融時報》昨天報道稱，沙特一名官員聲稱，較低的油價阻礙了成本較高的石油（比如頁岩油）的投資。大陸資源公司(Continental Resources)首席執行官哈羅德•漢姆(Harold Hamm)駁斥了這種說法。

“They want to stop shale oil,” he told the FT. “They might for six months but not for the rest of time.”

“他們希望阻止頁岩油，”他向英國《金融時報》表示，“他們也許在6個月期間得逞，但不會永遠如此。”

He also argued that the Saudi comments would be likely to strengthen political support in the US for a relaxation of the country’s decades-old ban on crude oil exports.

他還認爲，沙特官員的評論很可能會加強美國政界對鬆綁實行數十年的原油出口禁令的支持。

Opec, the producers’ cartel, kept output steady in November, despite the plunge in crude prices, in effect relinquishing its traditional role of adjusting production to support prices. Saudi Arabia later said its aim was to put pressure on high-cost producers such as the US shale drillers, though it denied seeking to target American companies directly.

儘管原油價格暴跌，但產油國的卡特爾聯盟——石油輸出國組織(OPEC)於去年11月保持產量穩定，實際上放棄了其調整產量以支撐油價的傳統角色。沙特阿拉伯後來表示，其目標是向成本較高的生產商（比如美國頁岩油開採商）施加壓力，儘管沙特否認直接針對美國公司。

The weakness in the oil price has curtailed drilling activity in US shale. But Mr Hamm reiterated his view that a price of about $70 per barrel for West Texas Intermediate — the US benchmark crude — which is currently trading at about $61, would be enough to stimulate increased activity and production growth.

油價疲軟使美國頁岩油開採活動減少。但是漢姆重申了自己的觀點，即美國原油基準西德克薩斯中質原油(West Texas Intermediate)只要達到約70美元/桶（目前約爲61美元/桶），就足以刺激開採活動增加以及產量增長。

“[The Saudis] need to be a ­little slow to gloat,” he said.

“（沙特人）需要等一陣纔有資格幸災樂禍，”他稱。