Gulf crude exports recover to 18 mb/d despite the war while tankers reroute around the Strait of Hormuz

The US has basically won the battle of the Hormuz pic.twitter.com/VoODvXu4H4

— Andreas Steno Larsen (@AndreasSteno) October 6, 2026

Factcheck: Yes, data from Kpler and Vortexa confirm Gulf/Middle East crude exports recovered to near or above pre-war levels (~18 mb/d averages recently, exceeding on multiple Sept days). Andreas’ chart aligns with that, including estimated dark/shuttle flows. Direct Hormuz traffic is lower and riskier (attacks ongoing), products lag, but total oil volumes via bypasses and STS are largely back.