what do you think ? ( one paragraph)

The focus of OPEC is to control oil output in order to influence prices. As natural gas may be produced with oil,some view OPEC as also being an indirect natural gas cartel. Additionally, a group of countries have formed what is called the Gas Exporting Countries Forum (GECF), which some refer to as a gas-OPEC. Historically, crude oil prices have seen increases in timeswhen OPEC production targets are reduced. OPEC member countries produce about 40 percent of the world's crude oil. Equally important to global prices, OPEC's oil exports represent about 60 percent of the total petroleum traded internationally.

The governments of the OPEC countries agreed to coordinate with petroleum firms (both states owned and private) to manipulate the worldwide oil supply and therefore the price of oil.When firms agree to collude, that is they agree to a certain price and quantity for a good or service, they create a cartel. OPEC is often cited by economists as a classic example of a cartel. To some the word cartel has a negative connotation, as it is often associated with illegal drug cartels. But a cartel is simplya group of producers of some good or service that formally agree to regulate supply to manipulate prices.