UAE to increase oil production for first time since withdrawal from OPEC

The United Arab Emirates (UAE) announced on Friday (May 15th) that it intends to increase its oil production, in an official public directive for the first time since its withdrawal from the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) in early May .

Abu Dhabi Crown Prince Khalid bin Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, while chairing the meeting of the Executive Committee of the ADNOC Board of Directors, which was held at the company's headquarters, was briefed on the developments of the new West-East 1 pipeline project, which is planned to double ADNOC's export capacity through the Emirate of Fujairah, where the project is currently expected to be operational in 2027.

According to the statement, the Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi directed to "accelerate the completion of this world-class project, as the company progresses to implement a new phase of it to contribute to meeting the global demand for energy supplies."

UAE surprises OPEC and terminates 6-decade membership

  On  Tuesday, April 28, 2026, the United Arab Emirates announced its official decision to exit the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) and the "OPEC+" alliance, with the decision to come into effect as of Friday, May 1, 2026, in a surprise move that ended a membership that has extended for about 60 years since the country joined the organization in 1967.

By leaving the alliance, the UAE will be free to set its own production policies independently, with the possibility of increasing its production, which currently exceeds 5 million barrels per day, which it has been demanding for years due to the incompatibility of OPEC's previous quotas with its actual capabilities.

Experts predicted that this shift will contribute to supporting the UAE's Vision 2026, by increasing investments in the energy sector and boosting GDP, giving it greater flexibility in dealing with global market fluctuations

WAM: Abu Dhabi is committed to supporting the stability of global markets

The Emirates News Agency (WAM), which published the news of the withdrawal, stressed that this decision does not change the country's approach as a responsible and reliable producer, stressing its continued commitment to supporting the stability of global energy markets, despite its exit from the OPEC and OPEC+ frameworks.

The decision sparked immediate and widespread reactions in global energy markets and among member countries, given the weight of the UAE as one of the largest oil producers in the world, as the markets witnessed immediate volatility following the announcement, as oil prices rose by 2% driven by uncertainty and fears of short-term supply shortages, especially in light of regional tensions.

What are "OPEC" and "OPEC+"?

The Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) and the Organization of Arab Petroleum Exporting Countries (OAPEC) are international and regional frameworks that reflect a common interest in oil, but differ in the nature of membership and objectives.

OPEC was founded in Baghdad in 1960 at the initiative of 5 countries, namely Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Iraq, Iran, and Venezuela, and is based in Vienna, to be a global organization that includes countries from different continents, and its main goal is to coordinate petroleum policies among members to ensure the stability of global markets and secure a fair return for producers and stable supplies for consumers. It currently includes 12 countries.

OAPEC is a regional organization established in 1968 under an agreement between Saudi Arabia, Kuwait and Libya, and is based in Kuwait City, and its membership is limited to Arab oil-producing countries, and its objectives are to promote Arab cooperation in various aspects of economic activity related to the petroleum industry, and to establish joint projects among members, and today includes ten Arab countries, namely Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Libya, the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Bahrain, Algeria, Iraq and Syria.