Opec will this week seek assurances from some of the world’s biggest oil consumers that they will maintain their demand as the members of the oil cartel come under intense pressure to boost investment in production capacity.

欧佩克将在本周末举行的利雅得峰会上发出上述呼吁，这有可能推高长期石油价格。目前投资者担心，面对诸如中国和印度等国日益上升的需求，欧佩克未必会进行足够的投资，以应对消费需求。

The call, to be made at a summit of the Organisation¹ of the Petroleum² Exporting Countries in Riyadh this weekend, could boost long-term prices as investors³ worry the oil cartel will not invest enough to meet consumption in the face of growing demand from the likes of China and India.

此次会议仅仅是欧佩克成立47年以来的第三次峰会。目前，油价朝着每桶100美元的创纪录水平疾升，根据美国政府的最新数据，欧佩克今年的原油收入料将升至6580亿美元，较2006年增长近9%。据欧佩克方面的消息，预计峰会上将发表一份宣言，重点阐述“供应安全和需求安全之间的关系”。

The summit – only the third in Opec’s 47-year history – comes as oil prices race towards a record $100 a barrel and with Opec crude oil revenues set to rise to $658bn this year, an increase of almost 9 per cent from 2006, according to the latest US government figures. The summit is expected to issue a declaration that will highlight the “relationship between security of supply and security of demand”, according to Opec sources.

各石油消费国，特别是美国和欧洲国家，正投资于其它替代能源，比如生物燃料和核能，同时投资于节能措施，以降低其对原油的依赖，并对抗全球变暖。

Consumer countries, in particular the US and in Europe, are investing in alternative sources of energy, such as biofuels and nuclear power, and energy-saving measures to reduce their dependency on crude oil and combat global warming.

一些欧佩克国家担心在其开始扩大产能之际，上述举措会危及未来的原油需求。一位欧佩克方面的消息来源在谈及声明草案时表示：“此项宣言旨在从欧佩克立场出发，阐明石油关系。”

Some Opec countries are worried such moves could jeopardise future demand just as they embark⁴ on expansion plans. “The declaration will be a statement on oil relations as seen by Opec,” said one cartel source, referring to a draft of the statement.

作为西方国家能源监督机构的国际能源机构(International Energy Agency)上周警告称，2015年前可能发生“供应危机”。

The International Energy Agency, the western countries’ energy watchdog, warned last week about the risk of a “supply crunch” before 2015.

不过，沙特阿拉伯将利用此次峰会强调其已提高了石油产能。该国将从下月开始每日增产50万桶原油，这是其投资800亿美元、从而在2009年底前将产量提高到每日1250万桶计划的一部分。

However, Saudi Arabia will use the occasion to stress it has raised its production capacity, with an extra 500,000 barrels a day arriving next month as part of an $80bn investment to reach 12.5m b/d by the end of 2009.

沙特石油部长阿里?纳伊米(Ali Naimi)称，该国已确立了一些项目，以便在中期内将日产量提高至1500万桶。

Ali Naimi, Saudi oil minister, has said the country has identified projects for further increases to 15m b/d in the medium term.