OPEC will maintain crude production ceilings when the cartel's oil ministers meet in Vienna on Wednesday.

The Organisation of Petroleum Exporting Countries "will decide to renew its current production ceiling during the Vienna meeting", according to officials.

But it cautioned that an increase in crude output "could come in the future, in light of new developments" on oil markets, adding that OPEC ministers would review over-production of quota levels. All the cartel bar Indonesia exceeded quotas in May, as total production by the 10 states, excluding Iraq, rose by 762,000 barrels per day (bpd) to 24.94 million bpd compared 24.178 million bpd in April, according to the Middle East Economic Survey.

"OPEC ministers will also examine ways of boosting co-operation between member-states and non-OPEC states to safeguard the balance of the market," according to officials.

"Most OPEC countries have given the green light for a Venezuelan candidate", to replace Mr Ali Rodriguez as OEPC secretary general, it said. Mr Rodriguez relinquishes his duties at the Vienna meeting to take up his role as chairman of the state oil company PDVSA.

With prices weakening, OPEC ministers have all but ruled out any increase in oil output at the meeting.

The organisation curbed output last year to rescue prices from a post-September 11th slump below $17 a barrel.

OPEC has said it might boost oil output later this year if Iraq was forced to reduce exports because of a stricter pricing policy introduced under the UN sanctions regime against Baghdad. Iraq will ask OPEC to maintain crude production ceilings.

It was reported at the weekend that the Iraqi delegation "will warn against any rise in production because that will increase pressure on prices". OPEC has said it might boost oil output later this year if Iraq was forced to reduce exports because of a stricter pricing policy introduced under the UN sanctions.