March 6 (Reuters) - U.S. energy executives met privately with top OPEC officials on Monday on the sidelines of a Houston conference, people familiar with the matter said, continuing a tradition that began around five years ago when the two groups were fierce competitors.
OPEC had viewed shale as an untamed force that undercut its revenue by bringing vast new oil supplies to market.
The secretive dinner has been held in most recent years during the CERAWeek energy conference in the capital of the U.S. oil industry.
This year's private dinner comes at a tumultuous time for global markets with the war in Ukraine disrupting global oil and gas flows while enriching both producer groups.
Fewer OPEC officials are present at this year's annual CERAWeek conference, with ministers from key countries, including Saudi Arabia and Iraq, absent from the attendee list.