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1、TextATheoilindustryhasbeenonahotstreakthisyear,thankstoaseriesofmajordiscoveriesthathaverekindledasenseofexcitementacrossthepetroleumsector,despitefallingpricesandatougheconomy.Thesediscoveries,spanningfivecontinents,aretheresultofheftyinvestmentsthatbeganear
2、lierinthedecadewhenoilpricesrose,andofnewtechnologiesthatallowexplorerstodrillatgreaterdepthsandbreaktougherrocks."That'sthewonderfulthingaboutpricesignalsinafreemarket—itputspeopleinabetterpositiontotakemoreexplorationrisk,"saidJamesT•Hackett,chairmanandchie
3、fexecutiveofAnadarkoPetroleum•Morethan200discoverieshavebeenreportedsofarthisyearindozensofcountries,includingnorthernIraq'sKurdishregion,Australia,Israel,Iran,Brazil,Norway,GhanaandRussia.Theyhavebeenmadebyinternationalgiants,likeExxonMobil,butalsobyindustry
4、minnows,likeTullowOil.Justthismonth,BPsaidthatitfoundagiantdeepwaterfieldthatmightturnouttobethebiggestoildiscoveryeverintheGulfofMexico,whileAnadarkoannouncedalargefindinanHexcitingandhighlyprospective"regionoffSierraLeone•Itisnormalforcompaniestodiscoverbil
5、lionsofbarrelsofnewoileveryyear,butthisyear'spaceisunusuallybrisk•Newoildiscoverieshavetotaledabout10billionbarrelsinthefirsthalfoftheyear,accordingtoIHSCambridgeEnergyResearchAssociates.Ifdiscoveriescontinueatthatpacethroughyear-end,theyarelikelytoreachthehi
6、ghestlevelsince2000.Whilerecentyearshavefeaturedspeculationaboutacoiningpeakandsubsequentdeclineinoilproduction,peopleintheindustrysaythereisstillplentyofoilintheground,especiallybeneaththeoceanfloor,eveniffindingandextractingitisbecomingharder•Theysaythatpri
7、cesandthepaceoftechnologicalimprovementremaintheprincipalfactorsgoverningoilproductioncapacity.Whiletheindustryiscelebratingtherecentdiscoveries,manyexecutivesareanxiousabouttheimmediatefuture,fearingthatlowerpricesmightjeopardizetheirexplorationdrive.Theworl
8、deconomyisweak,oilpriceshavetumbledfromlastyear'srecords,corporateprofitshaveshrunk,andgiobaldemandforoilremainslow.Afterfallingto$34inDecember,oilpriceshavedoubled,stabilizingnear$70abar
