Is Russia edging towards the Opec exit?
Russian output remains much higher than the level it agreed to in December 2016 and producers have big expansion plans
All the talk ahead of Opec's June meeting in Vienna is about converting the alliance Opec signed with Russia into an as-yet-undefined long-term pact. Yet the word from corporate Russia is somewhat different: after more than a year of restraint, some of the country's biggest producers are outlining big new upstream growth and investment plans. Energy Minister Alexander Novak has, at least, added his voice to the plans for indefinite cooperation with Opec—yet, as some observers in Moscow note, the need to rejig things may also be a tacit admission that the current arrangement has run its course. While Russia has no plans to join Opec, Novak said the Kremlin is looking at a range of other forma
Also in this section
1 April 2026
Golden Pass’s startup offers QatarEnergy a timely boost but may also force a difficult choice between honouring disrupted contracts and capitalising on soaring spot LNG prices
1 April 2026
It is not a case of if or when, but the length and magnitude of economic damage from elevated oil prices
1 April 2026
The US-Iran conflict demonstrates the need for diversification in several senses of the word. It also exposes the limits of Washington applying pressure on major oil and gas producers it considers geopolitical adversaries
31 March 2026
Disappointing results in its bidding round are a reality check for Libya, and global exploration generally
