The biggest surprise from this week’s Opec+ meeting (MEES, 1 December) was Brazil’s decision to join the producer alliance from 1 January. A video released from the meeting shows Saudi Arabia’s Minister of Energy Prince Abdulaziz bin Salman revealing the new member to ministers in the virtual meeting. Brazil is one of the largest sources of non-Opec supply growth this year and next and has ambitious growth plans beyond this. It won’t be subject to any restrictions in 2024, and it remains unclear as to whether it will participate in subsequent cuts. The announcement came just weeks after Opec Secretary General Haitham al-Ghais visited Brazil, and coincided with Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva’s visit to Saudi Arabia.