Gulf oil flows rebound in September to 81% of pre-war levels

Data showed that oil flows from the Gulf region, excluding Iran, rose to more than 81 percent of pre-war levels in September, supported by a rebound in Saudi exports.

According to Reuters, the blockade has nearly halted Iranian exports, while other Gulf oil producers have adapted to attacks on energy and shipping infrastructure by relying on so-called "dark passage"—switching off tanker tracking systems to avoid detection—to safeguard oil flows vital to their economies.

Data from Vortexa, cited by the agency, indicated that average shipments of crude oil, condensates, and refined fuels—including liquefied petroleum gas—reached 19.2 million barrels per day from Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Qatar, Oman, Bahrain, Iraq, and the UAE. This compares to an average of about 23.6 million barrels per day in the year before the Iran war began on February 28. According to Kpler data, total oil exports in September stood at 18.6 million barrels per day.

Kpler data showed that Saudi Arabia led a significant recovery in total crude and condensate exports from the Gulf in September, with shipments rising by about 4.2 million barrels per day compared to August, reaching 6.6 million barrels per day.

The agency reported that the increase in Saudi exports outweighed declines from other Gulf suppliers, boosting the region's net export growth as shipments recovered from disruptions that had reduced flows in previous months.