It's now four weeks since thousands of Venezuelan oil workers and opposition supporters began their strike, but President Chavez still shows no sign of resigning. In the meantime, the world's fifth largest oil producer is managing to export little more than a trickle. Its biggest customer, the United States, is feeling the pain as prices have shot up. Saudi Arabia has said it'll fill the gap, but the oil is needed quickly. It's fortuitous they've said this, but we actually need to see oil. Now, for instance, to give you an idea, it takes about five to six weeks for that the oil to leave Saudi Arabia and to actually get through to the US when they need it. The US needs the oil now, not in five to six weeks' time. The result has been the highest oil price since September 2001. Throughout the year, the Middle East conflict has brought successive spikes, but in the last six weeks, new OPEC production limits and the Venezuelan problems have put the price up to $30. And even if the strike in Venezuela is settled, the market is not expecting immediate relief. Prices for delivery in April next year are currently over $28 a barrel, and for June still over $26. The reason for that, of course, is Iraq. Iraq currently exports a mere three per cent of world oil production, so a war here would have little effect on global supplies. The far bigger worry is how other producers like Saudi Arabia would react to a conflict. The only certainty, more volatility in the oil price. Brian Milligan, BBC News.


现在，成千上万的委内瑞拉石油工人和反对党支持者们已经罢工4周了，但总统查韦斯仍旧毫无下台之意。同时，世界第五大产油国正严格控制出口一滴油。而他最大的顾客，美国随着油价急剧上升，倍感心焦。沙特阿拉伯已说会补上缺口，但是石油需求迫在眉睫。 幸运的是他们已这么说了，但我们需要实际看到石油。拿现在来说，你想，石油要花约五六周才能离开沙特阿拉伯，再真正灌输全美。美国现在就需要石油，而不是五六周后。 结果是自2001年9月油价抬到最高。整个一年，中东冲突引发油价连续上涨，但最近六周，新欧佩克生产限令和委内瑞拉问题已把油价提到30美元，即使解决委内瑞拉罢工了，市场不会期待得到立即缓解。明年4月的输送油价将普遍超过28美元每桶，且六月仍高于26美元。原因当然是伊拉克。 伊拉克目前的出口仅占全球石油产量的三分之一，所以这里的战争对全球供油影响甚微。最大的担忧来自于像沙特阿拉伯的其他产油国会如何应对冲突。唯一确定的是油价会更变幻无常。 英国广播公司 Brian Milligan 的报道。