UAE oil production hits record high after leaving Opec
The UAE boosted oil production to an all-time high last month, shaking off concerns about Iran’s control of the Strait of Hormuz and capitalising on its departure from the Saudi-led energy alliance Opec.
The UAE pumped 4.1 million barrels per day (bpd) of oil in June, the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) said in a report released on Friday. That is a substantial increase from the UAE’s average production of 3.5 million bpd in 2025.
The current number surpasses the UAE’s previous high of four million bpd in 2020, when Opec+ was riven by a price war between Saudi Arabia and Russia.
The UAE’s surging production reflects analysts' assessments that Abu Dhabi long felt constrained by Saudi-led Opec. The UAE has invested heavily in boosting its production capacity but complained that Saudi Arabia, in a bid to support prices, had stopped it from producing more.
Abu Dhabi exited Opec in May as part of a wider rift with Riyadh that includes differences over Yemen, Sudan and Israel.
: UAE oil production hits record high after leaving Opec
