The UAE raised its exports of crude oil and condensates to an unprecedented level during June, shortly after withdrawing from OPEC.
This was revealed according to preliminary ship tracking data issued by the Kpler and Vortexa platforms.
According to Johannes Raubal, senior oil analyst at Kpler, the UAE's average exports of crude and condensates this month have reached about 3.7 million barrels per day, the highest level ever recorded, exceeding the rates that ranged between 3.1 and 3.3 million barrels per day before the outbreak of the conflict in the Middle East.
UAE exports had previously peaked at 3.44 million barrels per day in April 2020.
“This increase can be attributed to several factors, including the resumption of flows through the Strait of Hormuz, which helped to free up stranded vessels,” Raubal explained, adding: “At the same time, we have observed an increase in Emirati supply, and we estimate that it is approaching pre-war levels.”
He also noted that the UAE had begun to offload part of its stockpiles, which helped to maintain high levels of exports.
Emma Lee, senior oil analyst at Vortexa, confirmed that crude oil loadings from Abu Dhabi reached 4 million barrels per day between June 1 and 29, 2026, exceeding pre-war levels of 3.4 million barrels per day.
She added that exports rose to 3.7 million barrels per day, compared to 3.3 million barrels per day in the first two months of this year.
Asia remains the primary destination for ADNOC exports, but sources indicated growing demand west of the Suez Canal, including Africa, the US West Coast, Northwest Europe, and the Mediterranean region.
The UAE’s decision to end its nearly 60-year membership in OPEC on May 1st coincided with the US-Israeli war on Iran, with the aim of maximizing the benefit from its oil resources, away from the production quotas imposed by the organization.
