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US Not to Beg OPEC for More Oil, Says US Official
US Energy Secretary Spencer Abraham said Sunday the United States will not beg the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) to increase oil output if "we're going to start untapping oil reserves" at home.
The United States is disappointed at the OPEC's decision to cut oil production, Abraham told Fox News Sunday. "I think they point out the need for us to generate more energy supplies here in the United States. And that I think brings into light the need for more production here at home," he said.
"The OPEC countries are not going to put America's interests ahead of their own. And I think that means we need to take a similar approach with respect to energy production. We can't allow ourselves to be ever more dependent on foreign energy sources," Abraham said.
"We are not going to take the approach of begging the OPEC countries or anybody else with respect to oil production, we're going to start doing the things here at home in terms of energy production that diversifies our energy sources, so we don't have to be so dependent on the rest of the world." he added.
The OPEC members agreed on March 17 in Vienna to cut oil output by four percent, or one million barrels per day (bpd), to 24.2 million bpd. The cut of production takes effect on April 1.
The United States is the world's largest consumer of oil, importing three-quarters of its 19.4 million bpd.
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