Accra, July 22, GNA - The Organisation of Petroleum Exporting Countri= es (OPEC) says it has set out to broaden its appeal to younger people with the publication of a book that gives basic information on the oil industry. Entitled 93I Need to Know: An Introduction to the Oil Industry and OPEC", the oil cartel publication covers basic information about the oil industry, such as the a brief history of the industry, how much oil does th= e world need, why oil is important, the nature and composition of crude oil, exploration and production methods, and the upstream and downstream. The book, a copy of which has been obtained by the GNA in Accra, also includes a chapter on the origins and history of the OPEC. It is divided into four chapters, and its many features include a glossary of frequently used technical words and expressions.

A statement issued on Friday by OPEC said although the book was aimed primarily at students and young readers, mature readers with no industry knowledge would also find it appealing and informative.

It has a colourful, large-format prepared by the OPEC Secretariat and illustrated by Austrian artist Michael Haderer. It is dedicated to children and all young people around the world.

The book is the culmination of more than a year's work, and marks OPEC's latest effort to inform young readers about the importance of the oi= l industry and to provide a better understanding of the Organization's role. It also forms part of OPEC's ongoing 50th anniversary celebrations of its founding in September 1960.

OPEC Secretary General, Abdalla Salem El-Badri, in his foreword, says that the book is not "only about an industry that is central to the way we live today - and to the creation of economic opportunities around the world - (but also) it addresses people who will become the business and political leaders of tomorrow," while hoping, at the same time, that the young peopl= e who read it will be able to find the oil industry as "compelling 85 as it has been for me and the many men and women who have worked in it for many years."

The statement said the book is published in English but would be translated into the following languages of OPEC's Member Countries: Arabic, Farsi, Portuguese and Spanish, as well as German for its German-speaking readership.

It will be distributed in OPEC's member countries, schools and international organizations.

OPEC's 12 Member Countries are Algeria, Angola, Ecuador, the Islamic Republic of Iran, Iraq, Kuwait, the Socialist People's Libyan Arab Jamahiriya, Nigeria, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and Venezuela.