Middle East oil exports rise, but Hormuz disruption persists

Middle East crude exports rose in September to their highest monthly level since the Iran war began, but remained well below February levels as disruptions to the Strait of Hormuz continued to constrain regional energy shipments. Preliminary Kpler data put exports at 16.3 million barrels per day, down 3.2 million barrels per day from February’s 19.5 million. Saudi Arabia accounted for much of the increase, with crude exports rising from about 2.45 million barrels per day in August to roughly 5.4 million in September. Shipments used both Gulf terminals and routes outside Hormuz. The regional export figure includes oil shipped through bypass routes, so it does not mean traffic through the strait has returned to normal. Attacks damaged Saudi Arabia’s East-West pipeline, which carries crude to the Red Sea, and interrupted shipments. The pipeline has restarted at limited volumes, according to reporting, while repairs are expected to take weeks. Saudi Arabia also sent additional crude from Gulf terminals, contributing to increased flows through Hormuz. The disruption underscores the limits of alternative routes when infrastructure is damaged or exposed to security threats.