An aerial view shows ships anchored off the coast of Khasab in Oman’s Musandam Governorate, near the Strait of Hormuz, on October 2, 2026. (Photo by AFP)
Middle East crude exports rebound past pre-war levels: Kpler
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Regional Middle Eastern oil exports -excluding Iranian shipments- surpassed pre-war averages last week for the first time since the outbreak of the conflict in late February, according to maritime intelligence data released by tracking firm Kpler.
The weekly average of crude shipments climbed past the pre-conflict baseline of 18 million barrels per day (bpd) across multiple days, signaling a resilient recovery in outbound tanker volumes despite ongoing threats to commercial shipping navigating the Strait of Hormuz.
Data provided by Kpler indicates that daily crude exports reached between 19.5 million and 22.5 million bpd on peak days during the final week of September, pushing the seven-day moving average up to 18.5 million bpd.
The recorded export spike encompasses transits passing through critical maritime choke points, including the Strait of Hormuz and the Red Sea, alongside offshore terminal loadings and ship-to-ship transfers conducted in the Gulf of Oman.
Beyond crude shipments, the total volume of petroleum products, chemicals, and non-gas liquids exiting Middle Eastern ports averaged 22.4 million bpd in the seven days leading up to September 30.
Concurrently, liquefied natural gas (LNG) vessel departures through the Strait of Hormuz registered their highest monthly throughput since February.
The figures reflect resilient output and active routing from regional producers seeking to maintain global energy supply lines despite elevated security risks and military action across key waterways.
