Hurricanes and Fires Didn't Shake BP

Oil giant BP reported on Monday an increase of 11 percent in production for the third quarter, saying oil and gas output averaged 3.88 million barrels a day.

Strong gains from its Russian operations were partly compensated by maintenance at rigs in the North Sea and Alaska, the effects of Hurricane Ivan in the Gulf of Mexico and a fire at an Egyptian gas platform.

BP is due to report its profit figures for the quarter on Oct. 26.
The company has joined other oil majors in benefiting from record oil prices, which reached $50 a barrel in New York last week as violence in Nigeria and hurricanes in the Gulf of Mexico lowered supply.

BP also confirmed its target to produce an average of more than 4 million barrels a day this year, an increase of more than 10 percent from 2003, according to Monday's statement.