Oil Producers Seek a Deal to Lift Prices(翻译)

World oil prices have risen a little after two years of weaker demand for oil and lower prices.
国际油价在经历两年的需求疲软和价格下跌后有所上涨。

During that time, a number of developments have affected the balance between oil supplies and demand. One is unrest in some oil-producing countries. Another is the expanded use of technology for collecting oil from deep underground.
在此期间，一些发展已经影响到了石油供应和需求之间的平衡。一个是部分产油国家的动荡，另一个则是地下深层采油技术的扩大使用。

In addition, the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) has been working on a deal to reduce oil production. OPEC's members have been trying to limit production to ease oversupply.
此外，石油输出国组织（简称欧佩克）一直致力于达成减产协议。欧佩克成员国一直试图限制产量以缓解供应过剩。

Will oil prices rise?
油价会上涨吗？

Perhaps the easiest way for Americans to experience the effects of oil prices is through gasoline. American drivers have paid less for fuel as oil supplies have increased and prices have dropped.
可能美国人体验油价影响最简单的方式就是通过汽油。由于石油供应增加和价格下跌，美国司机的燃油支出有所降低。

In the United States, oil production has increased sharply in recent years. One reason is new technology, such as hydraulic fracturing, also known as fracking. It has helped drilling services recover more oil and natural gas from the Earth. In fracking, liquid is forced into the ground under high pressure. The force can break up rock under the Earth's surface, releasing oil and gas.
美国近年来的石油产量急剧增加。原因之一就是新技术，例如水力压裂法。它有助于钻探业从地球中获取更多石油和天然气。使用水力压裂法时，高压液体被压入地下。这种压力可以破坏地表下的岩石，从而释放出石油和天然气。

Hannah Breul is with the U.S. Energy Information Administration. She thinks oil prices will rise as supplies, or inventories of unsold oil, start to decrease.
Hannah Breul就职于美国能源信息管理局。她认为，由于石油供应和未售石油库存开始下降，油价将会上涨。

"Global supply has far exceeded global consumption, so we have seen massive inventory builds and we have seen lower prices as a result. Once the supply and consumption come back into alignment, and the inventories level off, and can start to be drawn down, that will be a market signal to increase production."
她说，“石油的全球供应远远超过了全球消费，结果我们看到了大量库存产生和价格下跌。一旦供应和消费回到一致，库存趋于平稳，就会开始下降。这将成为增产的市场信号。”

Low oil prices hurt companies that use fracking, making their operations too costly and less profitable.
低油价损害了采用水力压裂法的公司，使得他们运营成本过高同时获利较少。

Rising prices, says Breul, make it more cost-effective for oil producers to keep shale wells operating. She says demand for oil is expected to rise over a long period of time.
Breul表示，油价上涨使得石油生产商维持页岩井运营更加合算。她说，预计石油需求在很长一段时间内都会上涨。

Other things can influence oil prices. Members of OPEC and some major non-OPEC producers, like Russia, appear to have agreed on a deal to limit production. Russia's Energy Minister, Alexander Novak, says the two sides are trying to make joint agreements.
其它事项也能影响油价。欧佩克成员国和俄罗斯等非欧佩克主要石油生产国似乎已经达成了减产协议。俄罗斯能源部长亚历山大·诺瓦克（Alexander Novak）表示，双方正在努力达成共识。

Reports of a deal helped push oil prices above $50 a barrel temporarily. Prices had fallen to less than $40 last year.
达成协议的相关报道帮助推动油价暂时超过了50美元每桶。去年油价跌至了40美元以下。

As a cartel, OPEC's members seek to fix prices so they can increase profits. One way they do this is with limits on oil production.
作为一个卡特尔（垄断）组织，欧佩克成员国寻求定价，这样他们就能增加利润。限制石油产量就是他们的途径之一。

The group is expected to meet in late November to finalize details of a production agreement.
该组织预计在11月下旬举行会议，以确定生产协议的细节。

Several members, including Iraq, have asked for permission to be exempt from cuts.
包括伊拉克在内的几家成员国都已经要求允许豁免减产。

About two-thirds of electricity in the United States comes from coal and natural gas. The U.S Energy Information Administration says oil has little direct effect on the cost of energy. It says that only one percent of the country's electricity comes from oil.
美国大约2/3的电力来自于煤炭和天然气。美国能源信息管理局表示，石油对能源成本的直接影响甚微，美国只有1%的电力来自于石油。

The cost of producing renewable energy has continued to fall. The International Energy Agency says renewable has become the world's largest new source of energy.
生产可再生能源的成本持续下降。国际能源署表示，可再生能源已经成为全球最大的能源新来源。

The cost of producing energy from sources like the sun and wind is also decreasing.
通过太阳能和风能等来源生产能源的成本也在降低。