Abstract
This paper brings together two major subjects; first, the oil and natural gas
exports from OAPEC member countries and their regional destinations during
2000-2011. Second, the world chokepoints for maritime transit of oil and
natural gas.
The first part provides a review of basic statistics on reserves, production and
consumption of oil and natural gas in OAPEC member countries and other
major regions of the world. It also includes information on exports of crude oil,
petroleum products and natural gas from OAPEC member countries.
Whereas 42.1%ofworldoil reserves are heldbyOAPECmembers, oil extraction
in member countries accounted for only 27.8% of total world extraction in
2011. In terms of oil exports, OAPEC member countries’ exports increased
by only 0.5% annually during 2000-2011. They rose from 18.4 million b/d
in 2000 to 19.5 million b/d in 2011. In comparison world oil exports grew by
4.2% rising from 60.2 million b/d to 94.4 million b/d in the same period. As a
consequence OAPEC member’s share in total world oil exports declined from
30.6% in 2000 to 20.7% in 2011.
The paper presents detailed statistics on OAPEC member countries’ exports of
crude oil and petroleum products by directional destinations during 2000-2011.
The main destinations were as follows:
- To the east the major recipients were Japan and South Korea. In 2011 Japan
accounted for 15.3% of OAPEC member countries’ oil exports and South
Korea 11.5%.
- To the west the major importer was the USA. In 2011 it received 11.6% of
OAPEC member countries’ oil exports.
- To the north European countries accounted for 13% of OAPEC member
countries oil exports in 2011. The main importers were Italy, Netherland, Spain
and France.
9
Directions of Oil and Natural Gas Exports from OAPEC
Member Countries and Global Transit Chokepoints
Mouzaffar H Albarazi *
* Senior Economist, OAPEC.
