Final answer:
The war between two OPEC members that disrupted the world's oil supply in the early 80s was the Iran-Iraq War. This conflict, combined with earlier events such as the 1973 oil embargo, caused significant fluctuations in oil supply and prices, and highlighted the interdependency of global political and economic relationships.
Step-by-step explanation:
The Conflict Between OPEC Members That Disrupted Oil
The war between two OPEC members that disrupted the world oil supply in the early 80s was the conflict between Iraq and Iran, commonly referred to as the Iran-Iraq War. The Iran-Iraq War started in 1980, when Iraq invaded Iran, leading to an eight-year-long conflict. This war had a significant impact on the oil production and export capabilities of these two countries, which were both major oil producers within the OPEC framework.
The Iran-Iraq War followed a series of challenging events for the oil market, including the 1973 oil embargo when OPEC's Arab member states retaliated against Western support of Israel by refusing to sell oil to its allies. Despite OPEC's initial efforts to regulate the oil market and maintain a steady price, the embargo and subsequent political conflicts highlighted the delicate balance and dependence on oil-exporting nations. The conflict had far-reaching consequences for the global economy as it strained oil supply, increased the price of gasoline, and underscored the interdependency of international political and economic developments.
After the war, both Iran and Iraq suffered economically. High debts accrued by Iraq, partly due to the war effort, pushed Saddam Hussein to invade Kuwait in 1990, which led to the Gulf War, also known as Desert Storm. These events served to further exacerbate the instability in the world oil market well into the 1980s and early 90s.