World oil demand will now grow by 1.39 million barrels per day (bpd), or 1.61 percent, to 87.94 million bpd, the cartel said in its latest monthly report.
In its previous report, OPEC put this year's average daily demand at 87.74 million bpd.
For 2010, demand was put at 86.55 million barrels per day -- up 2.0 million bpd it said, revising its estimate upwards slightly on the back of higher-than-expected winter consumption.
Last month's earthquake and tsunami in Japan and events unfolding in OPEC-member Libya would have little impact on the global demand figure for the year, OPEC forecast.
Japan's disaster "is expected to affect oil demand only marginally."
While the country's consumption had dropped as the transportation sector slowed and other economic sectors ground to a halt, "this is likely to be offset later in the year as the country substitutes some of its shut in nuclear power capacity with crude-burning power generation," the cartel predicted.
"Furthermore, rebuilding operations later on will call for increased energy use."
Meanwhile, an 80-percent cut in production in Libya due to the ongoing conflict to just 250,000-300,000 bpd from a previous 1.6 million bpd was being compensated for by other OPEC producers.
"Since the supply disruption in Libya, OPEC Members have accommodated most of the shortfall in production, ensuring that the market is well supplied," the organisation said.
"The market can be assured that in the months ahead, the Organisation will continue its longstanding role of supporting oil market stability," OPEC said.