Venezuela oil output 1.5 million bpd -opposition

www.forbes.com Reuters, 02.21.03, 3:23 PM ET

CARACAS, Venezuela, Feb 21 (Reuters) - Venezuela's strike-hit oil production rose by over 100,000 barrels per day (bpd) to 1.515 million bpd on Friday, dissident workers of state oil firm Petroleos de Venezuela (PDVSA) said. The government, which has been struggling to restart the OPEC nation's oil sector after a strike by foes of President Hugo Chavez, says output is over 2 million bpd. On Thursday, the rebel PDVSA staff said output was around 1.4 million bpd. Venezuela had been pumping about 3.1 million bpd before the strike, which had wide support from PDVSA managers and executive, was started on Dec. 2. Chavez has since fired over 12,000 of the rebel oil staff, and vowed they will never be allowed to return. The dissident workers continue to hold anti-government rallies and say replacement staff hired to restart the industry will never restore oil production to pre-strike levels.