1-Venezuela strikers say 4 mths to restore oil prod.
UPDATE 1-Venezuela strikers say 4 mths to restore oil prod.
(Updates with PDVSA vote in paragraph 8, background)
CARACAS, Venezuela, Jan 2 (Reuters) - Venezuela's
strike-hit oil industry will need at least four months to
restore operations to normal levels, foes of President Hugo
Chavez said on Thursday.
Earlier on Thursday Chavez told reporters oil operations in
the world's No. 5 crude exporter would be restored in a few
weeks.
"In order to reach November 30th production levels, PDVSA
needs at least four months," a press release from the
Democratic Coordinator opposition grouping said.
Striking employees from state oil firm Petroleos de
Venezuela (PDVSA) have said Venezuela's month-long strike has
cut output to under 200,000 bpd. The OPEC nation pumped about
3.1 million barrels per day (bpd) of crude in November.
Venezuela's oil exports were slashed to around 520,000 bpd
last week compared with crude and product sales of almost 2.7
million bpd in November, according to data from PDVSA and
shippers.
Chavez, visiting Brazil for the inauguration of President
Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, said he had informed oil clients
that efforts to break the strike would return oil production to
normal levels soon.
"We do not dare to put a date on it," Chavez said. "It
would be daring but we are certain that in a few weeks we will
recover full operations."
The rebel PDVSA employees have said that government efforts
to restart South America's largest oil firm would fail unless
they return to the job, as replacement workers did not have the
necessary expertise to restart operations. An assembly of
striking PDVSA employees on Thursday once again voted to
continue the shutdown until Chavez is out of office.
Crude supplies in Venezuela's biggest market, the United
States, fell 3 percent last week partly due to the strike and
helped push U.S. oil prices up 72 cents to $31.92 a barrel on
Thursday. The United States normally buys about 13 percent of
its crude imports from Venezuela.
Oil minister Rafael Ramirez said this week that Venezuela
is currently producing 600,000 to 700,000 bpd and that output
will rise to 1.2 million bpd by next week.
PDVSA dispatched three oil tankers late Tuesday and one on
Wednesday, shippers reported.
Only ships chartered by PDVSA and U.S. refining and
marketing affiliate Citgo have been loading, as foreign oil
companies have hesitated to have vessels attended by
uncertified crews that could create insurance risks.
((Reporting by Matthew Robinson, editing by Christian
Wiessner; Reuters messaging
matthew.robinson.reuters.com@reuters.net 58-212-277-2655,
matthew.robinson@reuters.com))
REUTERS
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