VOA标准英语2012--Falling Oil Prices Prompt Russian Economic Fears

 

Falling Oil Prices Prompt Russian Economic Fears

Khanty-Mansiysk in Siberia - home to around 70 percent of Russia’s developed oil fields and the source of much of the country’s wealth.

Russia produces more than 10 million barrels of oil per day - making it a major energy player.

Stephen Tindale, an energy economist¹ at the Center for European Reform, said, “Almost half of the Russian government’s revenue comes from various taxes on oil and gas exports.”

Tindale says that leaves the Russian economy highly vulnerable to a fall in oil prices. “It would mean their budget was well out of balance and so would be very serious, short-term, for Putin and the Russian government," he said.

In recent weeks, oil prices have begun falling - from around $125 per barrel in March to around $100 by June.

For an explanation we have to look back to why prices were high at the beginning of the year, says Paul Stevens at Chatham House, an independent policy institute in London. “Oil demand was beginning to pick up again, supply was being constrained², we had lost Syria, we had lost Yemen, we had lost South Sudan, Libya was still off the market to a certain extent," he said.

Stevens says demand is now falling, thanks to fears about the world economy - and that could be bad news for Russian exporters.

In addition, Iraq has seen the opening of new oil fields like this one in West Qurna in April. which was developed in partnership³ with Russian giant Lukoil. Its vice⁴ president, Sergei Nikiforov, said, “Today, Iraq and Russia inaugurated the giant oilfield of West Qurna, one of the largest fields discovered in the world.”

Stevens at Chatham House says developments like this are offsetting⁶ the impact of recent geopolitical upheavals⁷. “The supply side has also improved, partially⁸ because Iraq has been coming on but more importantly because other OPEC members, particularly Saudi Arabia, have been increasing their production, in part in an effort to offset⁵ the loss of Iranian production because of the embargo," he said.

While the short-term outlook may be for a slow decline in oil prices, Stevens says a single event, such as an Israeli attack on Iran over its nuclear program, could see prices rocket towards $200 a barrel. 

1 economist   

n.经济学家，经济专家，节俭的人

参考例句：

• He cast a professional economist's eyes on the problem.他以经济学行家的眼光审视这个问题。
• He's an economist who thinks he knows all the answers.他是个经济学家，自以为什么都懂。

2 constrained   

adj.束缚的,节制的

参考例句：

• The evidence was so compelling that he felt constrained to accept it. 证据是那样的令人折服，他觉得不得不接受。
• I feel constrained to write and ask for your forgiveness. 我不得不写信请你原谅。

3 partnership   

n.合作关系，伙伴关系

参考例句：

• The company has gone into partnership with Swiss Bank Corporation.这家公司已经和瑞士银行公司建立合作关系。
• Martin has taken him into general partnership in his company.马丁已让他成为公司的普通合伙人。

4 vice   

n.坏事；恶习；[pl.]台钳，老虎钳；adj.副的

参考例句：

• He guarded himself against vice.他避免染上坏习惯。
• They are sunk in the depth of vice.他们堕入了罪恶的深渊。

5 offset   

n.分支，补偿；v.抵消，补偿

参考例句：

• Their wage increases would be offset by higher prices.他们增加的工资会被物价上涨所抵消。
• He put up his prices to offset the increased cost of materials.他提高了售价以补偿材料成本的增加。

6 offsetting   

n.偏置法v.抵消( offset的现在分词 )；补偿；（为了比较的目的而）把…并列（或并置）；为（管道等）装支管

参考例句：

• Dealers, having concluded a forward contract, should always hedge with an offsetting contract. 外汇经营商在签订了一项远期合同之后总是应进行套头交易签订一项相抵合同。 来自辞典例句
• Where does Germany think offsetting shifts into greater external deficits might occur? 在德国看来，这么大的外部赤字应该转移到哪里？ 来自互联网

7 upheavals   

突然的巨变( upheaval的名词复数 )； 大动荡； 大变动； 胀起

参考例句：

• the latest upheavals in the education system 最近教育制度上的种种变更
• These political upheavals might well destroy the whole framework of society. 这些政治动乱很可能会破坏整个社会结构。

8 partially   

adv.部分地，从某些方面讲

参考例句：

• The door was partially concealed by the drapes.门有一部分被门帘遮住了。
• The police managed to restore calm and the curfew was partially lifted.警方设法恢复了平静，宵禁部分解除。