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[PeaceWave]

This message was self-deleted by its author (PeaceWave) on Wed Jan 7, 2026, 02:23 PM. When the original post in a discussion thread is self-deleted, the entire discussion thread is automatically locked so new replies cannot be posted.

[Diraven]

1. I don't think it works that way

The other OPEC members would have to go along with that. I doubt there's anything in the OPEC bylaws that says a conquering country automatically takes over the defeated member's votes.

[Melon]

3. OPEC regulates volume to control pricing

It doesn’t work well now because the US produces so much oil. Member countries cheat on their quotas because they are largerly dependent on oil for their country revenue. Previous cuts in OPEC production have also been covered by the US. Russia is an OPEC ally, so they go along with opec to drive pricing only until they see it isn’t working.

It will be interesting to see, but Venezuela cannot be held to its current production levels. The infrastructure is in disrepair and production very low, but with investment from US oil companies that were previously nationalized, should be able to grow exponentially. Russia relying on oil and Saudi will not want to reduce their own production by the offset to maintain oil pricing. This could really lower the cost of oil but will likely be a few years out.

[Melon]

2. We already have serious control of oil pricing

The United States is the largest producer of oil in the world and the largest consumer. OPEC is also allied with Russia. They would not want Venezuela to produce more because oil is largerly oversupplied now and well below the Saudi or Russian price goals.

Venezuela produces less than a million barrels per day. If they could get production up to 3-4 million barrels, it would further reduce oil pricing. The losers would be Russia who relies on oil to fuel its war machine, the Middle East, and I believe Canada. Canada produces about 4 million barrels of the same low quality crude as Venezuela. Venezuela has only upside, whereas Canada has limited outlets for its oil and receives a substantial discount to market pricing. That discount would likely expand with more high sulfur crude available.

[marble falls]

4. A simpler way would be to just desanction Russian oil.

[Torchlight]

5. A country must apply for membership and be accepted by existing members.