OPEC+ Ramps Up Production, Market Watches for Next Chapter
In a significant move that could ease pump prices across the globe, the OPEC+ alliance has announced a fresh increase in oil production, pledging to add 548,000 barrels per day beginning this September. This marks the final stage in reversing the 2.2 million barrels per day (bpd) cut that the group had voluntarily maintained since 2024, initially aimed at stabilising the oil market post-pandemic.
This announcement, made on Sunday, extends the group&rsquo;s ongoing efforts to gradually restore global oil supplies. It is the sixth consecutive month in which OPEC+ has boosted output, with each decision building upon a series of monthly hikes&mdash;138,000 bpd in April, followed by 411,000 bpd in May, June and July, and a surprise jump to 548,000 bpd in August. Now, September follows suit, completing a carefully managed return of withheld barrels to the market.
Behind the curtain of technical coordination lies a complex web of geopolitics and market strategy. Saudi Arabia, the de facto leader of the OPEC bloc, and Russia, the largest contributor among non-OPEC members, continue to drive the 22-nation alliance&rsquo;s decisions. The timing of this latest move is particularly notable, as it coincides with heightened international efforts&mdash;primarily from the United States&mdash;to bring Moscow to the negotiating table amid its prolonged military campaign in Ukraine.
OPEC+ has spent years defending oil prices by limiting supply, a strategy born out of necessity during COVID-19's demand collapse. However, as global demand resurged and inflation took root in major economies, especially the US, calls grew louder to alleviate supply constraints. These calls reached a crescendo earlier this year when American policymakers, including President Donald Trump, demanded a production surge to rein in domestic fuel costs.
OPEC+ initially resisted the pressure but ultimately pivoted in April 2025. That month, in a move that sent oil prices tumbling to a four-year low, the alliance abruptly accelerated its unwinding plan. Market analysts viewed this as a calculated risk, taken while the market was still digesting the aftershocks of the Trump administration&rsquo;s sweeping tariff measures.
With the 2.2 million bpd revival now nearly complete, attention turns to what comes next. There remains an additional 1.66 million bpd of output still under voluntary suspension&mdash;formally scheduled to remain offline until the end of 2026. Whether OPEC+ chooses to revisit this timeline will likely depend on global economic signals and energy demand forecasts.
For now, industry experts expect a period of stability. Many believe the group will hold steady while monitoring broader macroeconomic conditions, currency volatility, and potential disruptions from geopolitical flashpoints.
As oil flows return and prices remain in flux, consumers, analysts, and governments alike will be closely watching OPEC+ for its next strategic signal&mdash;aware that every barrel carries not just economic weight, but political consequence.

OPEC+ to add 548,000 barrels a day from September, completing phased return of oil supply

OPEC+ Ups Oil Output, Market Eyes Next Move

OPEC+ to add 548,000 barrels a day from September, completing phased return of oil supply

August 4, 2025 | 03:05 IST