{
  "id": 3336330,
  "title": "Satellite Images Show Seven Tankers Loading Iraqi Crude at Once",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/25/satellite-images-show-seven-tankers-loading-iraqi-crude-at-once",
  "topic": "finance",
  "section": "Finance & Markets",
  "published": "2026-08-25T19:32:27.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "OilPrice",
    "slug": "oilprice",
    "url": "https://oilprice.com/Latest-Energy-News/World-News/Satellite-Images-Show-Seven-Tankers-Loading-Iraqi-Crude-at-Once.html"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "On August 24, satellite imagery revealed seven crude carriers moored at Iraq's Persian Gulf export facilities, a significant increase from recent weeks. According to Bloomberg, the carriers had a combined carrying capacity of approximately 13 million barrels. TankerTrackers.com separately confirmed loading 13 million barrels at Iraq's Al Basrah Oil Terminal on Monday. This starkly contrasts with the past several weeks, where satellite passes typically showed only one or two tankers at Iraq's offshore export facilities daily. Prior to the Iran conflict, six tankers occupying the terminal's eight berths simultaneously was considered normal. However, Monday's activity does not indicate that Iraqi exports have returned to pre-war levels; it is merely a snapshot of one day. Despite this surge, regional oil flows have remained well below pre-war norms. Even as more Gulf producers experiment with covert transits, ship-to-ship transfers, and alternative export routes, Iran's own crude exports have been particularly hard hit. August loadings are currently around 300,000 barrels per day, compared to a 2025 average of roughly 1.7 million barrels. Meanwhile, Iran's floating storage outside the Gulf has fallen to about 24 million barrels. In contrast, Iraq has had more success in getting barrels moving. The country reported earlier this month that it was exporting around 2 million barrels per day despite the Hormuz disruption. Chinese refiners have also been actively purchasing Iraqi Basrah Medium and Basrah Heavy as supplies from other parts of the Gulf tighten. While seven tankers loading at once does not conclusively prove that the Gulf oil crisis is easing, it does provide evidence that Iraq is managing to push more crude towards the exit after weeks of sparse activity at Basra.",
  "summary": "Seven crude carriers were moored at Iraq’s Persian Gulf export facilities on August 24—a sharp increase from recent weeks. The carriers had a combined carrying capacity of roughly 13 million barrels, according to satellite imagery analyzed by Bloomberg. TankerTrackers.com separately said it counted and identified 13 million barrels loading Monday at Iraq’s Al Basrah Oil Terminal. That is a…",
  "key_points": [
    "Seven tankers loaded 13 million barrels at Iraq's Al Basrah Oil Terminal on August 24",
    "This is a significant increase from recent weeks where only one or two tankers were typically seen",
    "Iraq is exporting around 2 million barrels per day despite the Hormuz disruption"
  ],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}