Record. The Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) earned in the first half of 2008 almost as much as in the whole year 2007 as a result of rising crude oil prices and record production, which boosted spendings, according to "Financial Times" .

The member states of OPEC have gained, during January-June, 645 billion U.S. dollars, slightly below the record profit of 671 billion U.S. dollars earned last year, according to the U.S. Department of Energy. In the current pace, the members of OPEC will obtain this year, a record profit of 1.245 billion U.S. dollars.