OPEC is a permanent intergovernmental organization of 14 oil-exporting developing nations that coordinates and unifies the petroleum policies of its Member Countries.

Secretariat

The OPEC Secretariat is the executive organ of the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC). Located in Vienna, it also functions as the Headquarters of the Organization, in accordance with the provisions of the OPEC Statute.

It is responsible for the implementation of all resolutions passed by the Conference and carries out all decisions made by the Board of Governors. It also conducts research, the findings of which constitute key inputs in decision-making.

The Secretariat consists of the Secretary General, who is the Organization’s Chief Executive Officer, as well as such staff as may be required for the Organization’s operations. It further consists of the Office of the Secretary General, the Legal Office, the Research Division and the Support Services Division.

The Research Division comprises Data Services, Petroleum Studies and Energy Studies departments. The Support Services Division includes Public Relations & Information, Finance & Human Resources and Administration & IT Services departments.

The Secretariat was originally established in 1961 in Geneva, Switzerland. In April 1965, the 8th (Extraordinary) OPEC Conference approved a Host Agreement with the Government of Austria, effectively moving the Organization’s headquarters to the city of Vienna on September 1, 1965.

Member Countries

The Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) was founded in Baghdad, Iraq, with the signing of an agreement in September 1960 by five countries namely Islamic Republic of Iran, Iraq, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia and Venezuela. They were to become the Founder Members of the Organization.

These countries were later joined by Qatar (1961), Indonesia (1962), Libya (1962), the United Arab Emirates (1967), Algeria (1969), Nigeria (1971), Ecuador (1973), Gabon (1975), Angola (2007), Equatorial Guinea (2017) and Congo (2018).

Ecuador suspended its membership in December 1992, but rejoined OPEC in October 2007. Indonesia suspended its membership in January 2009, reactivated it again in January 2016, but decided to suspend its membership once more at the 171st Meeting of the OPEC Conference on 30 November 2016. Gabon terminated its membership in January 1995. However, it rejoined the Organization in July 2016. Qatar terminated its membership on 1 January 2019.

This means that, currently, the Organization has a total of 14 Member Countries.

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