Goldman Sachs issued a research note Thursday projecting that Gulf oil production—currently down by an estimated 14.5 million barrels per day (mbpd), or 57% of pre-war Middle East levels—could largely rebound within a few months once the Strait of Hormuz reopens and hostilities fully cease. The investment bank attributes most of the lost output not […]
Continue Reading
The global oil market has been upended by the U.S.-Israeli conflict with Iran that began in late February 2026. The effective closure or severe restriction of the Strait of Hormuz — the chokepoint carrying roughly 20 million barrels per day (bpd), or about one-fifth of global seaborne oil and LNG — triggered the largest supply […]
Continue Reading
April 23, 2026 – Tensions in the Persian Gulf remain high as the U.S. naval blockade of Iranian ports enters its second week, with U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) reporting that American forces have now directed 31 vessels to turn around or return to Iranian ports. At the same time, the Strait of Hormuz — the […]
Continue Reading
The ongoing closure of the Strait of Hormuz—now in its seventh week—has triggered the largest oil supply shock in modern history. Roughly 20 million barrels per day (mb/d) of crude and products once flowed through this narrow chokepoint. Today, tanker traffic has collapsed, exports have plunged to a trickle, and Gulf producers have been forced […]
Continue Reading
In the energy markets, there’s no single “oil price” anymore — and today’s fractured reality proves it. As highlighted in a sharp analysis posted this morning by commodity trader Jack Prandelli, the spreads tell the real story: Forties (physical) → $134 Dated Brent (physical) → $116 Brent futures → $99 WTI → $87 Canadian crude […]
Continue Reading
As the Iran conflict escalates with U.S. and Israeli strikes targeting Iranian energy infrastructure, the Iran-backed Houthis in Yemen have issued a stark warning: they are prepared to close the Bab el-Mandeb Strait, effectively blocking oil exports through the Red Sea. Houthi Deputy Foreign Minister Hussein al-Ezzi stated, “If Sana’a decides to close the Bab […]
Continue Reading
Geopolitical shocks are piling up on global oil supply, and traders are bracing for another wild session when Asian markets open in the coming hours. With the Iran war now five weeks old and fresh Ukrainian drone strikes hammering Russian refining and export terminals over the past four months, the question on every energy desk […]
Continue Reading
The Strait of Hormuz, one of the world’s most critical energy chokepoints, saw dramatically reduced maritime traffic in March 2026 amid ongoing regional tensions following U.S.-Israeli strikes on Iran and subsequent Iranian restrictions on shipping. According to data shared by MarineTraffic and analytics firm Kpler, a total of just 220 vessels transited the strait during […]
Continue Reading
In the latest escalation of maritime attacks in the Persian Gulf amid the ongoing Iran conflict, a fully laden Kuwaiti crude oil supertanker was struck early Tuesday by what authorities described as an Iranian drone or an unknown projectile while anchored in Dubai waters. The incident occurred at approximately 12:10 a.m. local time in Anchorage, […]
Continue Reading
Brent crude prices surged from approximately $73 per barrel pre-crisis to peaks near $120 in just 10 days following the effective closure of the Strait of Hormuz on March 4, 2026. The International Energy Agency (IEA) has described this as the “largest supply disruption in the history of the global oil market,” with Gulf producers […]
Continue Reading