Aramco takes charge of Saudi oil policy

Ali Naimi’s oil ministry will no longer be the driver of the kingdoms’ energy strategy, which will reflect broader geopolitical goals. Even the policy of maintaining spare capacity may be up for grabs

The cameras of Saudi state television, as is the custom, panned slowly and silently along the ranks of government ministers as they waited for the weekly Cabinet meeting to begin. The two bright young Cabinet stars, crown prince and interior minister Mohammed bin Naif and deputy crown prince and defence minister Mohammed bin Salman, in a display of relaxed familiarity, were seen exchanging a few words. Veteran petroleum minister Ali Naimi, by contrast, looked gravely ahead, seemingly detached from those around him. There have been rumours for months that Naimi, who is close to 80 and has been Saudi Arabia’s energy mastermind for three decades, was about to retire. Now it seems that moment is