HOUSTON: The chiefs of major US oil companies Occidental Petroleum Corp and ConocoPhillips offered differing outlooks on the growth of US oil output at a conference Monday, as the industry rebounds from shutdowns during the first stage of the coronavirus pandemic.

Oil prices have surged to seven-year highs in the last several weeks, with international benchmark Brent crude nearly hitting $90 per barrel, bolstered by tight worldwide supply and resurgent global demand.

ConocoPhillips Chief Executive Ryan Lance told an audience at the Argus Americas Crude Summit in Houston that he was bullish about markets as high oil prices “will persist for a while.”

He predicted output would likely eclipse the record 13 million barrels per day (bpd) reached in late 2019. Occidental CEO Vicki Hollub was more measured in her forecast.