A lot of exploration and production firms are coming to realize that maybe $30-plus oil is for real, so growth will likely follow. |
Because the companies haven't complained is not to say they are not well positioned. They will get involved later. To complain right now would sound like sour grapes. |
Business of $15 billion to $20 billion in the next three-to-four years is not an unreasonable number to expect at all, depending on how aggressively the new Iraqi government wants to exploit its oil resources. |
We continue to believe that fundamentals of supply and demand will be in play, bringing oil prices down to approximately $35 per barrel by the end of this year, and to $25-30 per barrel in 2005. |
We do believe there will be some kind of production increase because [OPEC doesn't] want to kill the goose that lays the golden egg, which is world economic growth. But we don't see prices dipping below $35 per barrel this year. |