Hormuz Oil Flows Surge Past 13 Million Barrels Per Day Amid Security Risks

The Strait of Hormuz, a critical waterway for global oil trade, is seeing a significant increase in oil flows. According to US Energy Secretary Chris Wright, nearly 13 million barrels of oil are now passing through the strait every day.

This figure is higher than earlier this year but still below pre-conflict levels. In fact, before the conflict, more than 20 million barrels of crude oil and petroleum products regularly passed through the waterway each day.

The recovery in oil flows matters for global energy markets, which remain sensitive to disruptions in the Middle East. The Strait of Hormuz sits between Iran and Oman and provides the main sea route out of the Persian Gulf, making it a crucial artery for major energy exporters like Saudi Arabia, Iraq, Kuwait, Qatar, and the United Arab Emirates.

However, tracking oil flows through the strait is difficult due to some tankers traveling with their tracking systems turned off. This makes it hard for outside observers to independently confirm in real-time how much oil is crossing the waterway.