Oil flow from the gulf rises to 15 million barrels per day

U.S. Energy Secretary Chris Wright said that oil flows reaching global markets from the Persian Gulf have risen to approximately 15 million barrels per day. Wright stated that U.S. military operations and alternative export capacity have contributed to the recovery of oil shipments disrupted by the war with Iran.

Wright said the seven-day average of oil leaving the Strait of Hormuz had approached 9 million barrels per day, adding that another 5 to 7 million barrels per day of oil was being transported through pipelines and export facilities bypassing the strategic waterway.

Wright also stated that more than 20 million barrels of oil left the Gulf region on August 9 alone, exceeding the average level before the conflict.

However, despite the recovery in oil flows, commercial vessel traffic in the Strait of Hormuz remains at low levels. While the average number of daily vessel transits through the strait was around 138 before the conflict, the number of U.S.-facilitated transits remained at 42 on August 9-10. Commercial transits not facilitated by the United States were limited to only a few vessels during the same period.

Similarly low levels are being seen in tanker traffic, while attacks, security risks and the U.S. blockade measures are expected to keep traffic limited both on the northern route controlled by Iran and in the southern Oman corridor.

A significant portion of the recovery in oil exports is being provided through alternative pipelines and export facilities, while the current total flow remains below the 19.87 million barrels of oil per day that passed through the Strait of Hormuz in 2025. This shows that, despite the recovery in oil flows, commercial maritime transportation has not yet returned to normal levels.