Abdullah Tariki (19 March 1919–7 September 1997) (Arabic: عبدالله الطريقي), also known by the alternate spelling of his last name as al-Turayqi and nicknamed the Red Sheikh,[1] was a Saudi politician and government official.

He served as the first oil minister of Saudi Arabia, appointed by King Saud, and was co-founder of the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC).

[2] Tariki's work at the directorate involved processing the petroleum production statistics provided by the Arabian American Oil Company (Aramco), and analysis summaries were then presented to the Saudi royal family.

[14] Tariki was one of the earliest critics of Aramco, arguing that the US companies should consult more with Saudi officials in exploring, pumping and selling of oil.

[16][17] To achieve this goal, he and Venezuela's mines minister Juan Pablo Perez Alfonso strongly supported the foundation of the OPEC and eventually became ita founding members in September 1960.

[6] He claimed on evidence that Kamal Adham, who was the brother-in-law of Prince Faisal, got 2% of the profits of the Arabian Oil Company that had been cofounded by Saudi Arabia and Japan.

[19] Tariki was removed from office by Prince Faisal when the latter was functioning as the acting head of the state as a result of the clash between him and King Saud in March 1962.

His nationalist vision for the oil sector had become embarrassing to the Saudis who sought to cement their relationship with the United States.

[9] Tariki also launched a journal there, Arab Oil and Gas,[26] and contributed to Al Anwar, a Lebanese daily.

[27] Muammar Gaddafi sought Tariki's advice on national oil policy in the aftermath of the 1969 Libyan revolution.