71.   The oil companies dutifully followed OPEC instructions to the letter.

72.   The most important division between industries is that between the oil companies and the rest.

73.   For a start, the oil companies are predominantly US-owned.

74.   As petrol prices are er reported to be rising again the oil companies are blaming the crisis in the Gulf.

75.   Then he points out that two enquiries by the Monopolies and Mergers Commission and the Office of Fair Trading have cleared the oil companies of malpractice.

76.   However the conservationists and oil companies both agree that President Bush must now come up with a viable energy policy.

77.   Almost four years after sinking half a billion dollars into a Russian oil company, BP still has had more frustrations than profits.

78.   Already, the government has blocked access to export pipelines for four oil companies that have not paid their taxes.

79.   Already, the nervousness has taken the shine off shares of oil companies, a handful of which hit all-time highs in the quarter.

80.   Although Pakistan has called for reviving the pipeline, industry experts say oil companies are so far not interested.