(Ecofin Agency) - Mohammed Barkindo (photo), has emerged as the prime candidate to take over the position of the new secretary-general of the Organization of petroleum exporting countries (OPEC), with members seeing him as the rare candidate to lead the group amid mounting tensions between Saudi Arabia and Iran.

There is a possibility that OPEC might choose Barkindo who was the former General Managing Director of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) as the new leader of the group of oil producing countries.

Since 2012, the 13-member cartel has been in search of a replacement for Libya's Abdullah al-Badri, who was supposed to have retired since 2013, but stayed since the group has not been able to arrive at a decision to choose a new leader.

Conflicts between Saudi Arabia, Iran and Iraq have up till now prevented OPEC from choosing candidates recommended by these countries.

Some sources within the group have said that Barkindo's nomination is not yet sure and al-Badri could get another six month’s extension.

But who is Mohammed Barkindo?

Barkindo spearheaded NNPC from 2009 to 2010 and also served as the acting secretary-general of OPEC in 2006 after the initial nominee, junior oil minister Edmund Daukouro, took over the revolving OPEC presidency.

He served on OPEC's economic commission and held many positions during his career at NNPC. As a matter of fact, he was the deputy managing director of the Nigerian Liquefied Natural Gas Company, Reuters reports.

“He's a reasonably safe pair of hands and good for a more administrative role like secretary-general. He also knows the ropes at OPEC from when he was Rilwanu Lukman's (right-hand man). Don't expect any fireworks, either positive or negative,” a senior industry source said.

Officials from Iran, Saudi Arabia and other Persian Gulf members have said that they support Mohammed Barkindo due to his experience as well as the fact that he is from an African country that does not choose sides when it comes to Middle East power struggles.

However, ahead of the group’s meeting tomorrow, Iranian delegation, led by Petroleum Minister Bijan Zangeneh, will participate in the meeting.

This will not help in mending dialogue, neither will it help in achieving a production cut at the meeting amidst growing political strains between Iran and Saudi Arabia.

Saudi Arabia on the other hand, is making efforts to drive global prices down by intensely increasing its production.

While Russia’s Deputy Energy Minister, Anatoly Yanovsky, has said the country will not be part of the meeting even at the expert level.

“No, no one invited us,” he said.

OPEC’s members control about 70% of global oil reserves and account for one third of the world’s crude production.

The Cartel’s oil output dropped this month due to attacks on Nigeria's oil industry by Militants as well as other outages.

Supplies from the group dropped to 32.52 million bpd in May, from 32.64 million bpd in April.

As the big day draws nigh, it is believed that the 13-member cartel will do little to have any significant impact on global oil price fluctuations as well as arrive at a decision to select a new leader.

Anita Fatunji