Qatar Energy Minister Saad al-Kaabi said the country would withdraw from the organization by January 2019 at a press conference Monday, state-run company Qatar Petroleum said on its Twitter account . An OPEC official in Vienna confirmed it was aware of the decision. The move “reflects Qatar’s desire to focus its efforts on plans to develop and increase its natural gas production from 77 million tons per year to 110 million tons in the coming years,” he was quoted as saying. The withdrawal comes as Doha has faced an economic blockade from OPEC’s kingpin and neighbor Saudi Arabia over allegations it finances terrorism—which it has denied. Mr. Kaabi said the withdrawal wasn’t connected to the Saudi restrictions, according to Reuters. Read More Qatar has been unhappy about what it perceives is meddling of Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman in OPEC affairs, a Qatari official has previously said. It […]