31.   In South America, Argentina, Bolivia, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru and Venezuela now allow foreign companies to produce oil.

32.   In Spain, the cost of producing olive oil is five times the cost of producing sunflower oil.

33.   It often takes two years from the time an offshore well is first drilled for it to begin producing oil.

34.   Japan is one of the largest net importers of oil and, unlike the U.S. does not produce oil itself.

35.   Labor union officials said seven North Sea oil platforms have closed and three mobile rigs are to stop producing oil today.

36.   Major Western oil companies import from the Middle East and drill and produce oil in several countries.

37.   Many companies have cut operating costs and used new technology to find and produce more oil.

38.   New technology has made it cheaper to find and produce oil in even the harshest places.

39.   Naimi implied after the April meeting that Saudi Arabia would produce more oil if high prices and market demand warranted.

40.   None of those projects are producing much oil yet, though.