全球產油國擬達成凍結產量協議 Saudis to freeze oil output without Iran
Saudi Arabia is prepared to sign up to an oil output freeze next month even without Iran taking part, a senior Opec delegate said, paving the way for a deal among big producers.
一名資深歐佩克(OPEC)代表稱，即使伊朗不參與，沙特阿拉伯也準備在下月接受凍結石油產量的方案，此舉爲各大產油國之間達成協議鋪平了道路。
Some of the world’s largest oil players will meet in Doha on April 17 to discuss restraining output. It follows a provisional agreement reached in February by Saudi Arabia, Russia, Qatar and Venezuela to freeze production at January levels.
世界上一些最大的產油國將於4月17日在多哈開會，討論限制產量。此前沙特、俄羅斯、卡塔爾和委內瑞拉在2月曾達成將產量凍結在1月份水平的臨時協議。
“There is agreement from many countries to go along with a freeze, why make it contingent on Iran,” said the delegate. The comments contrast with those from Gulf officials last month which suggested any deal was conditional on Iran, Saudi Arabia’s Opec rival, taking part alongside other big producer countries.
“在許多國家願意接受凍結的情況下，爲什麼要讓一切取決於伊朗呢？”這名代表說。此番言論與海灣國家官員上月所說的話形成反差，當時他們暗示，任何協議都將取決於伊朗——沙特在歐佩克內部的對手——加入其它大型產油國的行列，參與產量凍結。
Iran has sought to increase production and exports after the lifting of sanctions against its oil industry in January. Iranian officials have shown no willingness to back any deal that would result in restricting its own output.
針對伊朗石油業的制裁在1月份解除後，伊朗一直在努力提高產量和出口。伊朗官員迄今沒有表現出跡象表明，他們會願意支持將導致該國限制產量的任何協議。
Questions have been raised among Gulf delegates about the country’s ability to ramp up output, suggesting this could be one reason for compliance even without Iran.
海灣國家的不止一名代表曾質疑伊朗真有增產的能力，似乎表明這可能是各方即使沒有伊朗也願意合作的一個原因。
“Despite all the bragging, we have yet to see what Iran can do,” said the delegate.
“儘管吹了很多牛，但我們還看不出伊朗可以做什麼，”上述代表說。
Abdalla El-Badri, Opec’s secretary-general, said at a news conference in Vienna on Monday: “Maybe in the future they will join the group. They [Iran] have some conditions about their production.”
歐佩克祕書長阿卜杜拉•巴德里(Abdalla El-Badri)週一在維也納舉行的一個記者會上表示：“也許在將來，他們將加入集體的行列。他們（伊朗）對於自己的產量有一定條件。”
About 15 Opec and non-Opec countries — accounting for two-thirds of global oil output — have so far supported an oil freeze, Qatar’s energy minister Mohammed Bin Saleh Al-Sada said last week.
卡塔爾能源大臣穆罕默德•本•薩利赫•薩達(Mohammed Bin Saleh Al-Sada)上週表示，迄今已有大約15個歐佩克和非歐佩克產油國——佔全球石油產量的三分之二—— 支持凍結石油產量。
A provisional deal has helped to support prices and reverse negative market sentiment towards oil. Brent crude was at $41.72 yesterday afternoon, up 54 per cent since hitting a 2016 intraday low of $27.10 a barrel in January.
臨時協議已經起到了幫助支撐價格、扭轉市場對石油的負面情緒的作用。昨日下午布倫特(Brent)原油價格爲每桶41.72美元，比1月份觸及的每桶27.10 美元的2016年日內低點高出54%。
“Look at what it [the move towards the oil freeze] did to change the psyche of the market,” said the delegate. “Now the market can see people are gathering, people are communicating. This collaborative element has helped the price.”
“看看（爲凍結石油產量而付出的努力）在改變市場心理方面收到的效果吧，”上述代表說，“現在市場可以看到各方在開會，各方在溝通。這種合作元素支撐了價格。”
Hedge funds and other speculators have increased their bets on a higher oil price in the past few weeks. Their combined net long positions in Nymex and ICE WTI are now at 172m barrels, from just 35m barrels on January 12.
對衝基金和其他投機者在過去幾周加大了對油價上漲的賭注。他們在紐約商品交易所(Nymex)和洲際交易所(ICE)西德克薩斯中質原油(WTI)的淨多頭頭寸共計達到1.72億桶，而1月12日只有3500萬桶。
