How global oil production at 27-year low reflects Opec's waning power

Now that Opec needs to boost output, its lack of power becomes even more obvious

Opec is dying. President Donald Trump will probably rejoice. But he may not like what takes its place any better.

For a while, in its youth, the group burned so very bright, helping members wrest control over their oil industries and stand up to foreign producers — and their governments. But now, like every star, it is about to implode.

When a star runs out of hydrogen fuel its core contracts and heats up, while the outer layers expand. It will then go one of two ways — either collapsing into insignificance to become a black dwarf, or exploding as