Markets· August 16, 2026 at 11:00 p.m.
U.S. Energy Secretary's Middle East Oil Flow Claims Disputed by Vessel-Tracking Data
Key takeaways
- U.S. Energy Secretary claims Middle East oil exports have rebounded to 15 million bpd
- Vessel-tracking data shows oil flows out of Strait of Hormuz are half the volume claimed by U.S. Energy Secretary
- Private businesses estimate current oil flows out of Strait of Hormuz at up to 5 million bpd
U.S. Energy Secretary Chris Wright claimed that oil exports from the Middle East have rebounded to 15 million barrels per day (bpd) and even surpassed pre-war averages of 20 million bpd on Sunday. However, vessel-tracking data shows oil flows out of the Strait of Hormuz are at best half the volume cited by Secretary Wright, with most vessel-tracking companies estimating only about 9 million bpd leaving the region via all its export channels so far this month.
