As OPEC’s most significant member and one of the largest crude oil producers in the world, Saudi Arabia typically exerts considerable power over global energy market trends. Yet for the last year, the oil giant has been largely reacting to events outside of its control: surging U.S. shale production, OPEC-member cheating and non-compliance, uncertain demand and a persistent supply glut that has kept prices at or below $50 a barrel. Now, questions are being raised over the state of Riyadh’s big next move: the IPO of Saudi Aramco, the world’s largest and most valuable oil company, which Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman once projected as being worth $2 trillion. Analysts have doubted the veracity of the official Saudi estimate, with third-party valuations coming in much lower. The Financial Times has estimated the company to be worth between $880 billion and $1.1 trillion, while last March Bloomberg thought an IPO […]