U.S. Energy Secretary disputes Strait of Hormuz oil flow claims

U.S. Energy Secretary Chris Wright has disputed claims that oil traffic through the Strait of Hormuz has significantly declined due to tensions with Iran. Wright stated that between 8 million and 9 million barrels of oil pass through the strait daily.

Addressing discrepancies in commercial tracking data, Wright explained that many vessels are operating with their transponders and AIS (Automatic Identification System) turned off for security reasons, often traveling under military protection. This makes commercial tracking services unable to provide a complete picture of maritime activity.

According to Wright, while total daily oil output from the Arabian Gulf region has decreased from 20 million barrels before recent conflicts to approximately 14 to 15 million barrels today, the impact on the Strait of Hormuz specifically is not as severe as commonly reported. He noted that in addition to the oil moving through the strait, roughly 6 million barrels are being transported via pipelines.