Middle East oil squeeze: How much crude is actually flowing through Hormuz
US officials assert that oil is moving through the Strait of Hormuz at a pace far exceeding market projections. External data indicates a drop in oil tanker activity and a decline in global stockpiles. This divergence raises questions about the true amount of crude oil flowing into worldwide markets. Additionally, shadow fleets attempting to mask their locations complicate monitoring efforts,…
The Strait of Hormuz has been effectively closed to oil tankers, causing concerns about the amount of crude actually flowing through. US officials, including Energy Secretary Chris Wright, claim that oil is flowing through the strait faster than the market realizes. However, Iran asserts that the strait is closed and ship-tracking data indicates far lower flows.
Kpler, a tracking service, says only about 4 million barrels of oil are leaving the Persian Gulf each day, while another 7 million barrels are being rerouted through pipelines. Total flows may be around 11 to 12 million barrels per day, far below pre-war export levels of 20 million barrels. Wall Street analysts use various sources to estimate oil flows, but conflicting data makes it difficult to determine the exact amount.
The US military is patrolling the waterway and escorting ships, while Wall Street largely relies on third-party shipping data and inventory figures. If more oil is flowing than expected, stockpiles could rebuild faster and prices could remain lower, potentially giving the Trump administration a boost in its standoff with Iran.
Written by urgent.news from Times of India's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
