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Strait of Hormuz: what has to pass, and who depends on it
In the second quarter of 2026, an average of 4.9 million barrels of oil a day passed through the Strait of Hormuz; in the second quarter of 2025 it was 21.0 million (U.S. EIA). 11% of the world’s crude oil exports come from states whose entire coast lies behind the Strait of Hormuz (CEPII BACI, 2024) – they have no other sea route.
Oil through the strait a day, Q2 2026
4.9 million barrels
Q2 2025: 21.0 million barrels
Crude oil with no other sea route
11%
of world exports, 2024
Brent crude oil
$116.80 a barrel
September 2026 · before the war: $66.80 a barrel
Oil and LNG through the strait
In the second quarter of 2026, 77% less oil passed the strait than a year earlier – 5% of world oil supply instead of 19%. Liquefied natural gas: 0.8 instead of 11.0 billion cubic feet a day.
oil, totalof which crude oil and condensate28 February 2026: first fighting recorded (UCDP)
| Average a day | 2023 | 2024 | Q3 2025 | Q4 2025 | Q1 2026 | Q2 2026 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oil, total million bbl/day | 21.8 | 20.7 | 21.3 | 21.6 | 14.9 | 4.9 |
| Crude oil and condensate | 15.8 | 14.6 | 15.0 | 15.9 | 10.9 | 3.7 |
| Petroleum products | 6.0 | 6.1 | 6.3 | 5.7 | 4.0 | 1.1 |
| Liquefied natural gas (LNG) billion cubic feet/day | 10.6 | 10.5 | 10.9 | 10.5 | 7.4 | 0.8 |
Estimates by the U.S. Energy Information Administration from tanker tracking (Vortexa), quarterly and annual averages. A barrel is 159 litres. Release of 12 August 2026; the EIA updates the quarters with its Short-Term Energy Outlook.
What has to pass through the strait
11% of the world’s crude oil exports and 10% of its natural gas exports have no other sea route.
| Share of world exports, 2024 | no other sea route | all Gulf states |
|---|---|---|
| Crude oil | 11.3% | 34.3% |
| Petroleum products | 6.1% | 14.9% |
| Natural gas | 10.0% | 14.0% |
| Aluminium | 6.6% | 18.0% |
“No other sea route”: Iraq, Kuwait, Bahrain and Qatar – their entire coast lies behind the strait. Iran, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates also have ports or pipelines outside it.
Who depends on it
Japan gets 93% of its crude oil from the Gulf states, Germany 8%.
| Gulf states’ share of imports, 2024 | Crude oil | Natural gas |
|---|---|---|
| Japan | 93% | 6% |
| India | 46% | 73% |
| China | 40% | 21% |
| United States | 9% | 0% |
| Germany | 8% | 0% |
The world’s five largest economies.
Oil and fuel prices
Brent crude costs 75% more than before the war began; it peaked in April 2026.
Brent crude oil, US dollars a barrel28 February 2026: first fighting recorded (UCDP)
| Monthly average | before the war | peak | latest | change |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Brent crude oil, monthly average $ a barrel | 66.80 | 120.40 | 116.80 | +75% |
As of September 2026; “before the war” is the last full month before it (January 2026), “peak” the highest month since. A change over time is not the effect of the strait alone – demand, production and currencies all play a part. DESK shows what is measured and does not estimate causes.
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Sources
Oil and LNG: U.S. Energy Information Administration, Global Energy Security Data (12 August 2026) and World Oil Transit Chokepoints (3 March 2026), EIA estimates from Vortexa tanker data; public domain. Start of the war: Uppsala Conflict Data Program (UCDP), day of the first recorded event, CC BY 4.0. Trade: CEPII BACI (Etalab Open Licence 2.0), 2024 in US dollars. Prices: World Bank, Commodity Price Data (Pink Sheet), monthly averages, CC BY 4.0. Taken over unchanged, only averaged and rounded. No rating, no recommendation.
This is one page of many.
- DESK follows the major straits and canals – Suez, Malacca, Panama, Bab el-Mandeb, the Bosporus – with trade, conflicts and prices.
- DESK Impact shows for every major event which goods run short, which countries are hit and which companies have sites there.
- Plus more than 900 indicators per country, company pages and an economic calendar.
Also open to read: Countries in figures · Apple in figures · Weekly report archive
DESK is a research tool and not investment advice. Page generated: 2026-10-15.