THE 1986 OIL PRICE WAR: AN ECONOMIC FIASCO

by Nordine Ait-Laoussine and John C. Gault

(The following article by Nordine Ait-Laoussine and John C. Gault is based on a presentation at the Oxford Energy Seminar on 11 September. Mr. Ait- Laoussine is President of the Geneva-based petroleum consulting firm NALCOSA. Mr. Gault is an independent petroleum consultant based in Geneva, formerly with Jensen Associates and IEDConsultants.)

During the first eight months of 1986, OPEC pursued a strategy...