50-year-old tanker-tracking system key to measuring results Judging the supply of the world’s most important commodity often comes down to a good set of binoculars. In a world of Twitter, iPhones and instant information, determining how much oil is pumped by global producers is a moving target. It relies on a 50-year-old tanker-tracking system to help offset national interests that can shroud the data in secrecy and deceit. The problem: Competing analysis of that data often results in different outcomes. The International Energy Agency will tell you that OPEC pumped 32.6 million barrels a day in January. Ask the U.S. Department of Energy, and the answer is one million barrels a day less. While measuring output is always important, it’s likely to become even more key after a tentative pact announced last month by Saudi Arabia, Russia and others to freeze output at January levels. At stake is a […]