OPEC+ has decided to pause its planned oil supply increases through the first quarter of 2026, maintaining current production levels amid a global market surplus and uncertainty surrounding Venezuelan oil supplies.
This decision was made, according to Bloomberg, at a brief meeting on Sunday, led by key members, Saudi Arabia and Russia.
Bloomberg says the group is also monitoring the situation following the US capture of Venezuela’s leader, Nicolás Maduro, which could impact future oil output from the country.
Bloomberg reports the OPEC+ meeting lasted under 10 minutes and didn’t address Venezuela, as delegates deemed supply adjustments premature following Maduro’s capture.
Key OPEC+ members, Saudi Arabia and Russia, confirmed they will keep collective production steady through March 2026.
The decision reflects caution amid a surplus in global oil markets and uncertainty over Venezuelan output.
According to Bloomberg, delegates noted it would be premature to change supply policy in response to political developments in Venezuela at this stage.
Currently, Venezuela produces roughly 800,000 barrels per day, a small fraction of its potential given it holds the world’s largest oil reserves.
The group’s pause comes after a notable shift last April, when OPEC+ rapidly restarted production that had been curtailed since 2023.
This move was seen as an attempt to regain market share lost to competitors such as American shale producers, despite signals that global supply was already sufficient.
Before this latest decision, OPEC+ had agreed to restore about two-thirds of the 3.85 million barrels per day of output cut in 2023, with around 1.2 million barrels per day still left to restart.
However, actual increases have been less than planned due to some members struggling with physical production limits and others addressing earlier overproduction issues.
