(Ecofin Agency) - As part of efforts to reach a global agreement on freezing crude output to bolster oil prices, Algeria's Energy Minister, Nouredine Bouterfa, Saudi’s Khalid al-Falih and OPEC's secretary-general Mohammed Barkindo (photo), are to meet in Paris on Friday, an Algerian official revealed.

The meeting is part of the drive for a production freeze as producers have been struggling with low oil prices caused by the oversupply in the global market, a source at the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) confirmed.“There is a strong move towards a deal between OPEC and non-OPEC to at least freeze production. It seems we are going in this direction. But if we are going to freeze, we have to use secondary sources to gauge production levels. We can't allow each country to use a different method. Iran must agree to be in line with other producers and use secondary sources,” the OPEC source said.

Iran has expressed its willingness to support any means to stabilize the market, but, did not specify if it would join a global agreement before its production hits pre-sanction level of 4 million bpd.The Islamic republic has been main obstacle preventing an output freeze between OPEC and non-OPEC member. Russia as Iran has said it should be exempted from any deal before its production increases.

Tehran's production prior to sanctions had never surpassed 3.75 million bpd according to secondary sources. The country has said it is producing a little over 3.8 million bpd.It indicated on Tuesday that it was ready to work with Saudi Arabia and Russia to support prices, even though it has started negotiating with OPEC on likely exclusions from any output freeze.

The OPEC source noted that key oil producers were making efforts to persuade Tehran to join the deal, as Libya is the only country that could be offered an exemption.“Now there is a push to smooth things out and solve any problem. This will be discussed in Algeria,” the source said.

OPEC and Russia are expected to hold informal talks for a global deal on production in Algeria from Sept. 26-28, Reuters reports.

Anita Fatunji