IEA members could release more oil stocks 'as and if needed,' agency chief says

PARIS, March 16 (Reuters) - Member countries of the International Energy Agency could release more emergency oil stocks later "as and if needed" as there will still be over 1.4 billion barrels remaining in their emergency oil stocks despite the largest release of reserves in history already agreed, Executive Director Fatih Birol said on Monday.

"Despite this huge release, we still have a lot of stocks left. This current stock release, once it is completed, will reduce the emergency stocks in IEA countries only by around 20%," Birol said in a video statement.