Gulf oil flows recover to 81% of pre-war levels: Vortexa reports a rise in Saudi exports despite the attacks

Oil flows from the main Gulf exporters, excluding Iran, recovered in September to 81% of the levels before the US-Israeli war on Iran, according to data from the analytics firm Vortexa, as Al Jazeera reports. Crude oil, condensates and refined fuels averaged 19.2 million barrels a day from the key Gulf exporters.

The recovery is led by Saudi exports, which have risen despite the continuing Houthi attacks on the kingdom’s energy infrastructure. The data suggest the market is finding alternative routes to bypass the obstacles created by the conflict.

The news comes at a time when the Strait of Hormuz, through which around a fifth of the world’s oil supply normally passes, has seen a dramatic fall in maritime traffic since the start of the war in February, with sharp fluctuations in oil prices on world markets.

Analysts warn, however, that the recovery remains fragile: Saudi Arabia’s strategic East-West pipeline is still damaged and Houthi attacks on ports and refineries continue, keeping alive the risk of new supply disruptions.