Middle East Oil Exports Rebound to Post-Conflict High in September

Crude oil exports from major Middle East producers recovered in September to their highest level since a regional conflict began in late February, driven by a significant increase in shipments from Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates. Total exports from the region reached 16.328 million barrels per day (bpd), according to preliminary data from analytics firm Kpler.

Saudi Arabia Leads Export Surge

The rebound was largely underpinned by Saudi Arabia, the region's top exporter. The kingdom is on track to ship approximately 5.4 million bpd this month, more than double the 2.446 million bpd exported in August, Kpler's data showed.

This increase was facilitated by rerouting crude flows following attacks that damaged the country's East-West pipeline. Consequently, shipments from the Ras Tanura port in the Gulf jumped to about 3.25 million bpd, a sharp rise from 929,000 bpd in August. Traffic through the strategic Strait of Hormuz is now set to reach about 9.719 million bpd for September.

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Shipments Remain Below Pre-Conflict Levels

Despite the strong monthly recovery, the region's oil supply to global markets remains constrained. September's total exports are still approximately 3.2 million bpd lower than the 19.513 million bpd shipped in February, before the conflict started.

Kpler noted that overall Middle East crude exports are currently at "just under 80% of pre-conflict levels." This persistent deficit continues to affect global energy markets, which rely on the region for a substantial portion of daily crude supply. The Strait of Hormuz alone handled about 20% of the world's oil and liquefied natural gas before the disruption.