Oil production falls to 1.04 million b/d claim striking managers

www.vheadline.com Posted: Thursday, January 30, 2003 - 2:57:23 AM By: Robert Rudnicki

According to striking Petroleos de Venezuela (PDVSA) managers, who have already been sacked for their abandonment of their positions in support of the Coordinadora Democratica-led national work stoppage, Venezuelan oil production fell to 1.04 million barrels per day on Wednesday, down from Tuesday's 1.05 million. 

The rebel workers claim that 692,000 barrels per day is coming from production in the east of Venezuela, while production in the oil rich west of the country was languishing at around 260,000 barrels per day. The striking managers estimate production in the south to be around 92,000 barrels per day. 

However, eastern production levels are forecast to rise by as much as 300,000 barrels per day over the coming few weeks. 

The strikers' figures remain short of government estimate, with President Hugo Chavez Frias claiming that PDVSA is now producing 1.32 million barrels per day, while PDVSA president Ali Rodriguez Araque has said the production is well over one million barrels per day.

Although unclear, estimates show that over 400,000 barrels per day is now being refined, with around half of this coming from the Puerto La Cruz refinery in eastern Venezuela.