Iran retains its position as OPEC’s second major oil exporter

Iran has retained its position as OPEC's second major oil exporter and third in the world, deputy director of National Iranian Oil Company for marketing Mohammad Ali Khatibi Tabatabaei said on Wednesday. According to the official, Iran’s crude exports reached 2.583 million barrels per day (mb/d) in 2010, making the country the second largest oil exporter among OPEC’s twelve members after Saudi Arabia which exports of 6.644 million barrels per day. “Nigeria by exporting 2.464 million barrels per day (mb/d) in 2010 ranked third in OPEC,” he added. The official added that Russia (which isn’t a OPEC member) was the second largest oil exporter in the world in 2010. Iran ranked third in the world after Russia. OPEC in its annual statistical bulletin has put Nigeria ahead of Iran in regard to export of oil in 2010. The issue has been faced with reactions from Iranian officials, calling that report ambiguous. However, British Petroleum (BP) Statistical Review of World Energy 2011 and the U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) on the world's top oil exporters in 2010 approved Iran’s claim, clarifying that Iran is still the second largest oil exporter in OPEC. OPEC rationing is based on production and not export, and Iran still holds its position as the second-largest oil producer within OPEC and no change has happened in this regard.