UAE Oil: Production, Reserves & Its Exit From OPEC
United Arab Emirates produces about 3.77 million barrels of crude per day (2025) and holds ~113.0 billion barrels of proven reserves (#6 worldwide). The UAE left both OPEC and OPEC+ effective May 1, 2026, after 59 years of OPEC membership — the largest producer ever to exit the group, following a long-running dispute over a quota it said no longer matched the production capacity ADNOC had spent tens of billions of dollars building.
Key Figures
| Measure | Value | As of / source |
|---|---|---|
| Crude production (#8 of tracked) | 3.77 Mb/d | 2025 · EIA |
| Proven reserves (#6 worldwide) | 113.0 Bn bbl | 2023 · OPEC Annual Statistical Bulletin |
| OPEC status | Left OPEC and OPEC+ effective May 1, 2026 | WAM (UAE state news agency), EIA |
| Rank before exit | OPEC's third-largest producer, behind only Saudi Arabia and Iraq | EIA |
| National oil company | ADNOC (Abu Dhabi National Oil Company) | |
| Capacity target | ADNOC targeting roughly 5 Mb/d of production capacity by 2027 | ADNOC |
| Main export grade | Murban — light sweet crude with its own futures contract since 2021 | ICE Futures Abu Dhabi |
Rankings and comparisons: world production & consumption · reserves by country · biggest oil companies.
Why the UAE Left OPEC
The quota dispute
- ADNOC had invested heavily — a program on the order of $150 billion — to raise sustainable production capacity well beyond the roughly 3.5 Mb/d quota Saudi Arabia and OPEC+ were willing to allow it.
- The UAE pushed publicly for a higher baseline through 2024 and 2025; when that pressure did not resolve the gap, it announced on April 28, 2026 that it would leave OPEC and the wider OPEC+ coordination entirely, effective May 1.
- The announcement came in the same stretch as renewed attacks on the UAE during the 2026 Iran war, though the UAE's own stated reasoning centered on production policy and "national interest" rather than the conflict.
What changes now
- The UAE is no longer bound by any OPEC+ output quota, so ADNOC can produce at its full built-out capacity — one reason its exit is expected to add to non-OPEC+ supply growth.
- Its production still shows up in world totals on world production, but no longer counts toward the OPEC totals on OPEC production.
- Murban crude and ADNOC's broader expansion, including gas, petrochemicals and international investment through its XRG subsidiary, continue unaffected by the OPEC exit.
Oil Companies Operating in United Arab Emirates
| Company | Type | Ownership |
|---|---|---|
| INPEX | Independent producer (public) | Listed, with Japan's Minister of Economy, Trade and Industry holding about 23.1% of the common shares (30 June 2025) plus the Class A golden share, which carries veto rights over directors, major asset sales and mergers. |
| Occidental | Independent producer (public) | Publicly traded; Berkshire Hathaway is the largest shareholder, holding more than a quarter of the common stock (mid-2026 filing). |
| ADNOC | National oil company (state-owned or state-controlled) | Wholly owned by the Government of Abu Dhabi; the parent company is not listed. |
| Eni | National oil company (state-owned or state-controlled) | The Italian Ministry of Economy and Finance has de facto control with about 33.1% of the shares: 2.17% directly and about 30.9% through Cassa Depositi e Prestiti. |
From the oil company directory: companies with material producing operations here or headquartered here, hand-curated from company filings.
United Arab Emirates Oil FAQ
How much oil does United Arab Emirates produce?
United Arab Emirates produces about 3.77 million barrels per day of crude oil (including lease condensate, 2025), ranking #8 among the countries tracked here. Source: EIA international statistics.
How much oil does United Arab Emirates have in reserves?
United Arab Emirates holds roughly 113.0 billion barrels of proven crude reserves (OPEC Annual Statistical Bulletin, 2023), the #6 largest in the world. Proven reserves shift with prices and technology — see the caveats on the oil-reserves page.
Why did the UAE leave OPEC?
After years of pushing for a higher OPEC+ production quota to match capacity ADNOC had built through a large, multi-year investment program, the UAE announced on April 28, 2026 that it would leave OPEC and OPEC+ effective May 1 — citing its national interest and a review of its production policy. It was OPEC's third-largest producer at the time, the largest member ever to leave.
Why does the UAE have its own oil futures contract?
Murban crude trades on the ICE Futures Abu Dhabi exchange, launched in 2021, giving Gulf light sweet crude a transparent, exchange-traded price rather than relying solely on Dubai or Brent — part of a broader push to make the UAE a pricing hub for Asia-bound crude. That contract is unaffected by the OPEC exit.
Which oil companies operate in United Arab Emirates?
The oil company directory lists INPEX, Occidental, ADNOC, Eni with producing operations in United Arab Emirates. See the directory for who owns each company and which basins it works.