Skip to content
Briefings are running a touch slower this week while we rebuild the foundations.See roadmap
OPEC+ Seven
Concept

OPEC+ Seven

The seven OPEC+ members coordinating voluntary production cuts under the Declaration of Cooperation.

Last refreshed: 2 May 2026

Key Question

Are the OPEC+ Seven producing enough to compensate for Hormuz disruption?

Timeline for OPEC+ Seven

#861 May
View full timeline →
Common Questions
Which countries are in the OPEC+ Seven?
The OPEC+ Seven are Saudi Arabia, Russia, Iraq, the UAE, Kuwait, Kazakhstan, and Algeria — the core group coordinating voluntary production cuts within the broader OPEC+ framework.Source: OPEC+
How is the Hormuz closure affecting OPEC+ production decisions?
The Strait of Hormuz closure disrupts export routes for multiple OPEC+ Seven members, particularly Kuwait, UAE, and Iraq, while also cutting off sanctioned Iranian supply. Oil price volatility during the conflict has tested the group's ability to coordinate a compensatory response.Source:
What is the OPEC+ Declaration of Cooperation?
The OPEC+ Declaration of Cooperation is the agreement signed in 2016 between OPEC member states and allied oil producers (led by Russia) to coordinate production levels. It is the formal basis for joint OPEC+ output decisions.Source: OPEC+

Background

OPEC+ Seven refers to the seven OPEC+ member states — Saudi Arabia, Russia, Iraq, the UAE, Kuwait, Kazakhstan, and Algeria — that have collectively coordinated voluntary oil production adjustments under the OPEC+ Declaration of Cooperation (DoC). This subgroup has been responsible for the majority of voluntary output decisions within the broader OPEC+ framework, which itself includes 23 member states.

In the context of the 2026 Iran conflict and the closure of the Strait of Hormuz, the OPEC+ Seven's production decisions have become central to global oil market dynamics. Brent Crude rose sharply at the conflict's outbreak before pulling back as Ceasefire signals emerged; on 1 May 2026, Brent settled at $108.17, down $14.83 from the prior close — the largest single-session decline of the war — after Trump rejected Iran's fourth ceasefire proposal. The OPEC+ Seven's capacity to compensate for disrupted Iranian and regional Gulf supply has been a key variable in that price volatility.

The group does not have a formal legal existence separate from OPEC+ but functions as the inner coordinating circle whose decisions shape joint communiqués and output pledges. Saudi Arabia holds the de facto leadership position; Russia's continued participation has been complicated by its own sanctions environment and the Russia-Ukraine war's demands on its oil revenues.

Source Material