Strategy v market dynamics
Members must consider a host of complex issues as they wrestle with the problem of managing oil supply
Opec production has fallen from 32.9m barrels a day in July 2017 to approximately 31.8m b/d in May this year. The decline has been driven by both intentional cuts (particularly from Saudi Arabia, Kuwait and the UAE) and unintentional ones (Venezuela and Angola). The market is rightly focusing its eyes on Venezuela. The country lost almost 1m b/d of production since 2016, with exports set to suffer further in the coming months. ConocoPhillips' seizure of PdV's storage and loading assets in Netherlands Antilles increases reliance on its already congested domestic ports. For Angola, its heavy weighting of deep-water production makes it particularly vulnerable to further declines. With Opec itse
Also in this section
6 February 2026
The long close relationship between key supplier Qatar and pivotal buyer Japan becomes even deeper following new landmark deal
6 February 2026
Partnerships across the LNG value chain have evolved over time, growing in both complexity and importance, according to panellists at LNG2026
6 February 2026
Nigeria's mega-refinery is still trying to solve many challenges, all while its owner talks up expansion
5 February 2026
While broadly supportive of EU efforts to tackle methane emissions, representatives of the gas industry warn it could deter supply contracting if timelines and compliance requirements are not made more pragmatic
