Sudan received an invitation on Wednesday to join the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) from Nigeria, the rotating chairman of OPEC in 2006, the official Sudanese News Agency reported.

Sudanese President Omer al-Bashir received the written invitation from his Nigerian counterpart Olusegun Obasanjo when he met Nigerian oil minister and Obasanjo's envoy Edmond Daukora.

Al-Bashir expressed appreciation of Obasanjo's invitation and would study the invitation and make reply in the future.

Sudan's oil production, which stands currently at 500,000 barrels per day (bpd), is expected to be doubled next year with the implementation of a comprehensive peace agreement signed between the central government in Khartoum and rebels in oil-rich south Sudan in early 2005.

The 11-member OPEC, pumping about 40 percent of the world crude oil, currently has an output quota of 28 million bpd, almost at its full production capacity due to record-high oil prices.

Source: Xinhua