VOA慢速英语 2008 1227

This is IN THE NEWS in VOA Special English.

For much of the year, record prices for oil have made oil-producing nations rich. Now these nations are trying to cut production to support collapsing¹ prices.

Last week, the Organization of Petroleum² Exporting Countries met in Algiers. Members agreed to a record production cut of more than two million barrels a day, or about five percent of world output. OPEC's president said the group may call an emergency meeting in March if prices continue to fall.
　

An oil worker at Saudi Arabia's Khurais oil center. Operations at the center were expanded as oil reach 140 dollars a barrel.

Less than six months ago, oil traded at a record one hundred forty-seven dollars a barrel. Governments and oil companies in Russia, Brazil and Saudi Arabia spent billions of dollars to develop new oil fields. Now, oil is trading for less than forty dollars a barrel—down over seventy percent.

At the root of the sharp price decrease is reduced demand because of the economic downturn. The American Petroleum Institute says demand for oil in the United States fell by three percent in the first half of the year compared to the same period last year. Americans are driving smaller, more fuel efficient cars. And they are driving less.

Last week, the Energy Information Administration released a report on oil use in the United States. The Annual Energy Outlook for Two Thousand Nine predicts that American oil use will remain mostly unchanged through the year twenty thirty. The report says new fuel efficiency rules for vehicles, requirements for increased use of renewable fuels and increased fuel prices will limit demand. The United States is the world's largest user of oil.

Collapsing oil prices mean producing nations will face something they may not have planned for: budget deficits⁴. Saudi Arabia is the world's largest oil exporter. But it expects a budget deficit³ in two thousand nine — its first in six years.
　

Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin at a meeting of the Gas Exporting Countries Forum5 in Moscow Tuesday

Russia, the world's second largest exporter, also predicts a budget deficit next year. Some nations depend on oil exports more than others. For example, oil provides eighty percent of Iran's foreign income.

Oil was not the only energy resource in the news recently. Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin warned that a period of low natural gas prices is coming to a close. Mister Putin spoke⁶ at a meeting of the Gas Exporting Countries Forum in Moscow. The fourteen-member group includes Russia, Iran and Venezuela.

Currently, natural gas is transported through pipelines⁷ under long-term contracts. This limits the prices suppliers can charge. But the new process of liquefying natural gas may change that. Mister Putin said liquefied natural gas has become an expanding industry that requires new investment in processing centers.

Venezuela's Energy Minister Rafael Ramirez said the Gas Exporting Countries Forum will have more power over prices as the world market becomes more developed.

And that's IN THE NEWS in VOA Special English, written by Mario Ritter. I'm Steve Ember.

1 collapsing   

压扁[平]，毁坏，断裂

参考例句：

• Rescuers used props to stop the roof of the tunnel collapsing. 救援人员用支柱防止隧道顶塌陷。
• The rocks were folded by collapsing into the center of the trough. 岩石由于坍陷进入凹槽的中心而发生褶皱。

2 petroleum   

n.原油，石油

参考例句：

• The Government of Iran advanced the price of petroleum last week.上星期伊朗政府提高了石油价格。
• The purpose of oil refinery is to refine crude petroleum.炼油厂的主要工作是提炼原油。

3 deficit   

n.亏空，亏损；赤字，逆差

参考例句：

• The directors have reported a deficit of 2.5 million dollars.董事们报告赤字为250万美元。
• We have a great deficit this year.我们今年有很大亏损。

4 deficits   

n.不足额( deficit的名词复数 )；赤字；亏空；亏损

参考例句：

• The Ministry of Finance consistently overestimated its budget deficits. 财政部一贯高估预算赤字。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Many of the world's farmers are also incurring economic deficits. 世界上许多农民还在遭受经济上的亏损。 来自辞典例句

5 forum   

n.论坛，讨论会

参考例句：

• They're holding a forum on new ways of teaching history.他们正在举行历史教学讨论会。
• The organisation would provide a forum where problems could be discussed.这个组织将提供一个可以讨论问题的平台。

6 spoke   

n.（车轮的）辐条；轮辐；破坏某人的计划；阻挠某人的行动 v.讲，谈（speak的过去式）；说；演说；从某种观点来说

参考例句：

• They sourced the spoke nuts from our company.他们的轮辐螺帽是从我们公司获得的。
• The spokes of a wheel are the bars that connect the outer ring to the centre.辐条是轮子上连接外圈与中心的条棒。

7 pipelines   

管道( pipeline的名词复数 )； 输油管道； 在考虑（或规划、准备） 中； 在酿中

参考例句：

• The oil is carried to the oil refinery by pipelines. 石油通过输油管输送到炼油厂。
• The oil carried in pipelines. 石油用管道输送。