London, Oct. 6 (SANA) Gulf oil flows excluding Iran recovered to more than 81% of pre-war levels in September, driven by a sharp rebound in Saudi Arabia’s exports despite attacks on the kingdom’s oil infrastructure and escalating Iranian attacks on regional shipping, while Iranian exports fell to zero due to a U.S. blockade, according to data reported by Reuters.
Gulf oil flows recover
Data from Vortexa showed flows of crude oil, condensate and refined fuels, including liquefied petroleum gas (LPG), averaged 19.2 million barrels per day (bpd) in September from Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Qatar, Oman, Bahrain, Iraq and the United Arab Emirates, compared with about 23.6 million bpd in the year before the Middle East war began on Feb. 28.
Kpler data put total Gulf oil exports at 18.6 million bpd in September.
Vortexa said crude oil and condensate flows recovered to 91% of their pre-war level of 16.3 million bpd, while refined fuel exports, including LPG, remained at 60% of their pre-war level of 7.3 million bpd.
Refined fuel exports remain weak
The decline in refined fuel exports has exacerbated global shortages of diesel and jet fuel, contributing to record or near-record prices in several markets.
The Middle East is a key supplier of such fuels, making regional disruptions particularly significant for consumers worldwide.
“Daily flows are considerably more volatile than before the war, so the key question is whether recent levels can be sustained,” Vortexa analyst Claire Jungman said.
Saudi Arabia drives recovery
Kpler data showed Saudi Arabia drove a sharp recovery in Gulf crude oil and condensate exports in September, with shipments rising by about 4.2 million bpd from August to 6.6 million bpd.
The increase came despite attacks on Saudi energy infrastructure. Drone attacks forced the kingdom to shut its East-West Pipeline last month, temporarily halting crude loadings at its Yanbu oil port on the Red Sea.
Saudi Arabia’s rebound more than offset declines elsewhere in the Gulf as shipments recovered from disruptions that had depressed flows in previous months.
Combined crude oil and condensate exports from Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Iraq, Oman, Kuwait, Qatar and Iran rose to about 14.7 million bpd in September from 10.8 million bpd in August, Kpler data showed.
Iranian exports fall to zero
The rebound came even as Iranian exports fell to zero and shipments from Kuwait and Qatar declined. Higher Saudi exports more than offset those losses, while exports from the UAE and Iraq also increased.
The data showed that a U.S. blockade had brought Iranian exports to an almost complete halt.
Other Gulf oil producers adapted to attacks on energy infrastructure and shipping by relying on so-called “dark transits,” in which tankers switch off their tracking systems to avoid detection and protect oil flows.
The U.S. military said Monday that it had rerouted 130 commercial vessels as part of the implementation of a U.S. naval blockade imposed on Iranian ports.
R.H/M.F
