OPEC is struggling with a floundering oil market, few prospects of higher oil prices, competition from U.S. shale, and dissension within its own ranks. The supply/demand situation is improving, but at a painfully slow pace. OPEC will meet again in a few days to try to figure out how to boost compliance with the collective cuts, but the group is faced with no good options in trying to balance the market. The prospect of deeper cuts has been floated, but the risk is that it would require more sacrifice with an uncertain payoff. In any event, OPEC appears to be struggling with maintaining compliance for its existing cuts. Although some dispute the data, it appears that more than half of the participating OPEC members are not fully complying with their obligations. Worse, Nigeria and Libya, exempted from the deal, are boosting output. OPEC production actually jumped in July by […]