From the Archives: Baghdad and Beirut
Our look into Petroleum Economist's archives continues with October 1960 coverage of another key moment in the history of oil and gas: the founding of OPEC
The Arab League’s second oil conference being held at Beirut this month will be dominated by the recent agreement at Baghdad between leading oil exporting countries to set up OPEC with a view to consulting together on important matters affecting their oil interests and to bringing about stability in crude oil prices. Some of the considerations which arise are outlined below. As well as providing a forum for discussing many aspects of the international oil industry, the wide-ranging talks at Beirut should bring much enlightenment about this significant new development. The evolving relationships between the international oil companies and the governments of the main countries in which they pr
Also in this section
24 December 2025
As activity in the US Gulf has stagnated at a lower level, the government is taking steps to encourage fresh exploration and bolster field development work
23 December 2025
The new government has brought stability and security to the country, with the door now open to international investment
23 December 2025
A third wave of LNG supply is coming, and with it a likely oversupply of the fuel by 2028
22 December 2025
Weakening climate resolve in the developed world and rapidly growing demand in developing countries means peak oil is still a long way away






