an influential oil producers alliance could collapse if unity dissolves around output policy according to the managing partner of investing group clean energy transition speaking to cnbcs street signs europe on thursday per lekander said waning oil demand growth and a lack of cooperation may facilitate the demise of opec a group of 23 nations that produces roughly 40 of the worlds crude oil the breakup of opec lekander said could send oil prices careening to as low as 35 per barrel in a growing market time is your friend you just need to wait a bit and things tighten up and improve lekander said in a declining market time is your enemy you have to keep cutting keep cutting keep cutting he added the more negative growth there is and the less cooperation you have and remember the last opec decision it was really the saudis doing it on their own  so i would say if my forecast is correct and im very sure it is … it is going to break a spokesperson for opec was not immediately available to comment opec has been trimming oil production since november oil prices which are down sharply yeartodate were trading slightly higher on thursday afternoon brent crude futures with september expiry were up around 08 at 8353 a barrel at around midday london time while us west texas intermediate crude futures with september delivery rose 1 to trade at 7956 a barrel both contracts are up over 12 so far this month there was a period in the 1990s and the 2000s where supply was so much they couldnt jack up the price but for most of the time the oil price since 1974 has been artificially too high lekander said if the cartel cant operate i would say shortterm you go to 35 and midterm probably 45 he added the opec group has sought to distance itself from accusations of cartel behavior saying its policies target global supply inventories rather than specific fixed prices nevertheless some middle east nations in the coalition which heavily depend on fossil fuel revenues list oil price assumptions and forecasts in their national budget plans