Wright's Oil Numbers Don't Add Up, Says Vessel Tracking Services

US Energy Secretary Chris Wright claims that almost nine million barrels per day of crude oil are leaving the Strait of Hormuz, but vessel tracking services disagree. According to data from Kpler, the seven-day average for oil leaving the Strait of Hormuz is around 2.77 million bpd, not nearly as high as Wright's estimate.

Wright's numbers also don't add up when compared to total exports from the Middle East. Data from Kpler shows that crude shipments are at 9.53 million bpd for the week beginning August 3, but this is still below pre-conflict levels of 18.7 million bpd.

The discrepancy between Wright's numbers and those provided by vessel tracking services raises questions about the accuracy of his claims. The US Navy may be double-counting some exports that undergo ship-to-ship transfers, which could explain the gap in data.