UAE maintains OPEC+ membership as production quota disputes persist

The United Arab Emirates remains a full member of the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) and the wider OPEC+ alliance, despite recurring international speculation regarding its withdrawal. Recent reports clarified that while policy friction over production quotas exists, the UAE has not exited the group, contrasting with neighbors like Qatar and Angola who left in 2019 and 2024 respectively. Production Quotas and Capacity Expansion The tension between the UAE and the OPEC+ core, led by Saudi Arabia, stems from Abu Dhabi’s massive investment in hydrocarbon infrastructure. The Abu Dhabi National Oil Company (ADNOC) is working toward increasing its oil production capacity to 5 million barrels per day (mbpd) by 2027. Under current OPEC+ agreements, the UAE’s output is capped significantly below this level, leading to lost revenue potential on billions of dollars of capital expenditure. In June 2024, OPEC+ agreed to extend most of its deep oil output cuts into 2025. However, the UAE secured a specific victory in these negotiations, obtaining a gradual increase in its production quota by 300,000 barrels per day. This adjustment will bring the UAE's reference…