▁two . ▁ ▁Al leg ed ▁economic ▁war fare ▁and ▁sl ant ▁dr illing ▁ ▁In ▁ 1 9 8 8 ▁Ira q ' s ▁O il ▁Minister , ▁Iss am ▁al - Ch al abi , ▁str essed ▁a ▁further ▁reduction ▁in ▁the ▁cru de ▁oil ▁production ▁qu ota ▁of ▁Organ ization ▁of ▁the ▁Pet role um ▁Ex port ing ▁Count ries ▁( O PE C ) ▁members ▁so ▁as ▁to ▁end ▁the ▁ 1 9 8 0 s ▁oil ▁gl ut . ▁Chal abi ▁argued ▁that ▁higher ▁oil ▁prices ▁would ▁help ▁Ira q ▁increase ▁its ▁reven ues ▁and ▁pay ▁back ▁its ▁US $ 6 0 ▁billion ▁deb t . ▁However , ▁given ▁its ▁large ▁down stream ▁pet role um ▁industry , ▁K uw ait ▁was ▁less ▁concerned ▁about ▁the ▁prices ▁of ▁cru de ▁oil ▁and ▁in ▁ 1 9 8 9 , ▁K uw ait ▁requested ▁O PE C ▁to ▁increase ▁the ▁country ' s ▁total ▁oil ▁production ▁ce iling ▁by ▁ 5 0 % ▁to ▁ 1 . 3 5 ▁million ▁b pd . ▁Through out ▁much ▁of ▁the ▁ 1 9 8 0 s , ▁K uw ait ' s ▁oil ▁production ▁was ▁consider ably ▁above ▁its ▁mand atory ▁O PE C ▁qu ota ▁and ▁this ▁had ▁prevent ed ▁a ▁further ▁increase ▁in ▁cru de ▁oil ▁prices . ▁A ▁lack ▁of ▁cons ensus ▁among ▁O PE C ▁members ▁und erm ined ▁Ira q ' s ▁efforts ▁to ▁end ▁the ▁oil ▁gl ut ▁and ▁consequ ently ▁prevent ed ▁the ▁recovery