WTI at $90 and 4 critical choke points in play

West Texas Intermediate crude hovered near $90 per barrel on July 23, 2026, with Brent trading higher in the mid-to-high $90s amid escalating disruptions across multiple global oil transit routes. Markets are reacting to simultaneous pressures on four critical choke points: the Bab el-Mandeb Strait, the Strait of Hormuz, the Suez Canal corridor, and the […]

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LNG Supply Crisis Pushes Buyers Toward Coal, Natural Gas, and Oil: Energy Security Takes Center Stage

The ongoing conflict in the Middle East, including disruptions through the Strait of Hormuz and damage to key Qatari LNG infrastructure, has triggered a sharp global LNG supply crunch. This is forcing buyers in Europe and Asia to pivot aggressively toward coal, oil products (such as fuel oil, naphtha, and propane), and alternative natural gas […]

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Brent Tops $90 as Tanker Hit in Strait of Hormuz Amid Escalating US-Iran Tensions — Is “Higher for Longer” Here to Stay?

Oil markets are back on edge. Brent crude has surged above $90 per barrel for the first time in weeks, driven by a fresh attack on a Kuwaiti tanker in the Strait of Hormuz and renewed fighting between the United States and Iran. Early Tuesday (July 21, 2026), the UK Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) reported […]

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Iraq Suspends Crude Loading at All Export Terminals, Impacting ~4 Million Barrels per Day – Incident at Basra Terminals in the Persian Gulf, Not a Strait of Hormuz Closure

Iraq has suspended crude oil loading operations at all its southern export terminals following a drone incident at the Basra (Basrah) terminal complex in the Persian Gulf. The move affects a significant portion of the country’s exports, which normally average around 3.3–3.6 million barrels per day (bpd) via these facilities (with some market commentary citing […]

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Goldman Sachs: New Pipelines Could Divert 45% of Strait of Hormuz Oil by 2027 and 60% by 2028 — Iran’s Oil Leverage Nears Irrelevance

The Strait of Hormuz, the world’s most critical oil chokepoint carrying roughly 20% of global oil trade (around 20–21 million barrels per day pre-disruptions), is rapidly losing its stranglehold. According to Goldman Sachs analyst Alexandra Paulus, pipeline projects across the Gulf are on track to divert up to 45% of pre-war Persian Gulf oil exports […]

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Brent Crude Surges Above $86 as Iran Strikes UAE Tankers in Hormuz, Russian Oil Infrastructure Takes More Hits, and Chokepoint Risks Mount

The Refining Capacity Shortage and Demand Destruction Quest Brent crude oil prices surged more than 3% today, breaking above $86 per barrel (reaching $86.06 in early London trading). This extends a sharp ~12% rally since Friday, driven by escalating geopolitical risks across key oil chokepoints and infrastructure. The immediate spark came from Iranian cruise missile […]

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The Iran War Turns Regional: Tanker Attacks, Naval Blockades, Drone Strikes, and Surging Oil Prices

The conflict involving Iran has rapidly expanded beyond direct U.S.-Iran clashes into a broader regional war, with proxy actions, naval disruptions, and threats spanning the Persian Gulf, Strait of Hormuz, Yemen, and even the Caribbean. Oil prices are climbing on heightened supply risks, with Brent crude recently trading around $83–85 per barrel amid fresh attacks […]

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Where Do We Go from Here with Iran? What is the impact on the global oil and gas market?

The fragile truce between the United States and Iran is unraveling. Renewed attacks on commercial shipping in the Strait of Hormuz, fresh U.S. strikes on Iranian targets, satellite evidence of Iran rebuilding damaged nuclear sites, and mixed signals from Washington and Tehran have once again put global energy markets on edge. The central question for […]

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