Paris-based Energy agency, IEA sees no reason make emergency supplies available despite Iraqi war, Venezuelan and Nigerian unrest

www.sunspot.net The Associated Press Originally published March 21, 2003

PARIS -- The International Energy Agency said Friday it sees no reason to release emergency crude oil stocks despite the situation in Iraq and civil unrest in Nigeria.

"There is no event in Iraq that makes us fear about a disruption in oil supply," IEA spokesman Pierre Lefevre said, noting that the output concerned in Nigeria was not significant in terms of volume.

Thursday, soon after the U.S.-led troops launched an invasion of Iraq, the Paris-based energy watchdog said increased production from OPEC kingpin Saudi Arabia and key member Venezuela, combined with lower demand for heating oil in the United States, helped to reinforce confidence that demand would be met.

The IEA has said it will allow the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries to have first crack at supplying customers before the IEA takes a decision to release stocks. OPEC has pledged to keep markets well supplied.

Iraq's oil exports through the United Nations' oil for food program, normally around 1.7 million barrels a day, are now virtually at a standstill following the withdrawal of U.N. staff from Iraq on Tuesday.

To date, ethnic clashes in the oil-rich Niger delta in Nigeria have disrupted over 250,000 barrels a day of the OPEC member's 2 million barrels a day output.