Global energy demand growth will be further eroded by the high price of oil, which should remain above 50 usd a barrel, the Centre for Global Energy Studies said in its monthly report. "Oil demand growth in 2005 looks set to be little more than a third of the growth seen in 2004 and high oil prices have been felt by final consumers this year in a way that they were not last year," the influential report said. Although global oil demand growth will remain weak in 2006, it will still outstrip production of non-OPEC countries including Russia and the US, CGES said. The Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries would therefore "have little difficulty in keeping oil prices above 50 dollars per barrel". However, the oil cartel would "probably have to cut output to do so", unless growth in global demand rebounds. Oil prices slipped below 60 usd a barrel again in New York earlier Monday after around three months above the key threshold.