"There was a directive that the workers should start returning to the terminals and fields from yesterday [Thursday] evening, but we don't expect restart of production until the weekend."
Though ExxonMobil workers in Nigeria had returned to work after a week-long strike, normal crude production at 800,000 b/d would resume only over the weekend, company and union officials said Friday.

"We understand that consumers are being hurt by high [gasoline] prices, and the commission remains vigilant in using its full authority to prevent unlawful behavior that affects gas prices."
The US Federal Trade Commission plans to decide by the end of the year whether to adopt regulations prohibiting manipulation of petroleum markets, FTC Chairman William Kovacic said in a statement Thursday. The commission said it would start by collecting public comments on the appropriate way to enforce a provision of the Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007 that outlaws such behavior.

Updated: May 2, 2008