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womanofthehills

(10,883 posts)
Sun Mar 1, 2026, 01:37 AM Yesterday

Twenty million barrels of oil passed through the Strait of Hormuz yesterday. Today the number may be zero.

War risk underwriters began canceling policies for strait transits hours after Operation Epic Fury launched. The Financial Times confirmed premiums surging 50 percent. Baseline war risk sits at 0.25 percent of hull value. For a hundred million dollar tanker that is 250,000 dollars per voyage. At peak escalation rates, one million per transit. Vessels linked to American or Israeli interests are becoming uninsurable entirely. No price. No policy. No passage.


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Twenty million barrels of oil passed through the Strait of Hormuz yesterday. Today the number may be zero. (Original Post) womanofthehills Yesterday OP
Of course! Seems an obvious consequence once it's brought to your attention. pat_k Yesterday #1
Pretty sure they are counting on it, to raise prices and make his oil buddies niyad Yesterday #4
Much less of an issue for the US. We produce currently just under 14 million barrels a day Melon Yesterday #2
Point is, it will angrychair Yesterday #3
You are quite correct. niyad Yesterday #5
China is just observing and taking notes for their plans on Taiwan BumRushDaShow Yesterday #9
The Middle East probably supplies 5% Melon 19 hrs ago #10
There's a flaw ForgedCrank 19 hrs ago #13
We won't be hit just as hard. Melon 19 hrs ago #16
Just my ForgedCrank 18 hrs ago #17
I think prices will rise slowly. Melon 18 hrs ago #18
The last two lines of that post: Another Jackalope Yesterday #6
How much does the rest of the world depend on oil exports from Iran? Aussie105 Yesterday #7
The entire ForgedCrank 19 hrs ago #14
Al Jazeera just reported a tanker was attacked. roamer65 Yesterday #8
It'll be another excuse to raise the price of gas bif 19 hrs ago #11
This will have a huge impact on China, India, Japan and South Korea Kaleva 19 hrs ago #12
Orange Caligula is such a dip shit, though his grifting is unmatched. themaguffin 19 hrs ago #15

pat_k

(12,984 posts)
1. Of course! Seems an obvious consequence once it's brought to your attention.
Sun Mar 1, 2026, 01:43 AM
Yesterday

Wanna bet it's a big surprise to the felon and his minions?

niyad

(131,409 posts)
4. Pretty sure they are counting on it, to raise prices and make his oil buddies
Sun Mar 1, 2026, 03:58 AM
Yesterday

even more money.

Melon

(1,342 posts)
2. Much less of an issue for the US. We produce currently just under 14 million barrels a day
Sun Mar 1, 2026, 01:51 AM
Yesterday

On 20 million consumption. 4 million comes down from Canada plus now Venezuela. Bigger issue for China.
There has always been a risk premium to oil because of Iran. This will cause a premium, but not much yet. Brent is at $72 a barrel with the rise in price only $2 today so far which is nothing. In the last 5 days it’s up 2.5%. This is not driving prices yet.

angrychair

(12,082 posts)
3. Point is, it will
Sun Mar 1, 2026, 03:57 AM
Yesterday

Of much more concern is how China will react to have their oil put at risk.

He is trying to push China's buttons. That is not a fight we want at all.

BumRushDaShow

(168,215 posts)
9. China is just observing and taking notes for their plans on Taiwan
Sun Mar 1, 2026, 06:26 AM
Yesterday

So I wouldn't worry about them at this point. The issue is going to be Russia because their oil is sanctioned, they are allied with Iran as most of their drones have been manufactured by Iran, and if they go full-Iran support, they will really let loose on Ukraine as "punishment".

Melon

(1,342 posts)
10. The Middle East probably supplies 5%
Sun Mar 1, 2026, 12:05 PM
19 hrs ago

Of US oil right now.
China is getting a clear message as well. The US took the leader of Venezuela despite having Iranian, Russian, Chinese air defense systems and didn’t lose one aircraft or life. They just killed the leader of Iran and took out their most important military complexes in the most heavily defended country in the Middle East. Day one not one aircraft or US life was lost. They also have Russian, Chinese and their own technology.

Oil prices will undoubtedly rise. We will see how much. Oil has been long. Oil may also rise on the Brent but not so much on the WTI, just widening the spread which would be another advantage to the US.

I have a feeling if Iran chooses to shoot a missile at a tanker in the gulf, all of their coastal batteries and Navy will get their shit pushed in. This will also not endear Iran to China. The other gulf countries would also be even more displeased.

ForgedCrank

(3,066 posts)
13. There's a flaw
Sun Mar 1, 2026, 12:25 PM
19 hrs ago

in that logic unfortunately.
We produce enough for our own use, for sure. But as long as the oil is allowed to be exported, it will react to global prices since sellers can sell in that global market. So, unless there is a temporary oil and NG export ban, we will still get hit just as hard as everyone else.
The real answer is to eliminate the regime that uses this shipping lane as their go-to weapon in holding the entire planet hostage.

Melon

(1,342 posts)
16. We won't be hit just as hard.
Sun Mar 1, 2026, 12:45 PM
19 hrs ago

We are independent on NG. We also produce Ethylene and Propylene in our manufacturing for cracking gas. China and Europe are primarily using oil to Naptha. We have a regional advantage to our own production.

I haven’t been a part of the specific conversation on the risk adder Iran costs on oil today. It used to be said $5-$10 of oil pricing was risk hedge and insurance due to Iran threats on the region. Oman is working with Saudi currently to build a pipeline bypassing the straight to export directly offshore of Oman just to bypass Iran. The project is many billions.

I agree that the price of oil rises across the globe. But there is a spread to the WTI that expands or contracts based upon supply availability. The US has a natural buffer due to our supply position. The spread is currently about $5 a barrel but used to be $10 when I was working in the space. It can move.

The initial attack is not really moving markets yet. Just a little. We will see Monday what happens and if Iran can realistically threaten the Strait.

If the current Iranian government is removed and a new government without extremism takes hold, their oil would conceptually be available to world markets as well as the risk premium coming off oil.

ForgedCrank

(3,066 posts)
17. Just my
Sun Mar 1, 2026, 12:53 PM
18 hrs ago

speculation, but I'm guessing that tomorrow morning the market devolves into an unreasonable panic as opportunists start a frenzy. Prices will skyrocket to a crazy and unrealistic level, then withing a short time (days?) the coalition will have control of the passage and squash the Iranian threat to that shipping lane, then prices will start easing again.
I'm not sure how much my opinion is based on reality, and how much is just based on hope. Even if it comes true, it'll tie up a lot of naval resources to secure safe passage in the area. It's a mess anyway we look at it.

Melon

(1,342 posts)
18. I think prices will rise slowly.
Sun Mar 1, 2026, 01:17 PM
18 hrs ago

Some oil still flows down the Red Sea to the gulf.

It all depends on whether Iran can actually threaten the straits. They literally were hit devastatingly hard day one and didn’t shoot down 1 plane. We already have destroyers and cruisers etc always in the Straits. The 5th fleet is the protector of that area. You notice that they have done nothing in the straits. Nothing. They are shooting missiles into their neighbors but they aren’t shooting into the straits. They know they’ll lose everything in a day.

The markets aren’t reacting for a reason.
Part of my career was in a similar area in that region. Iran is not supported by the regional Arab countries.

China in the last 2 months just lost its top two oil suppliers. Russia just lost a major supplier of drones used in its war. The bigger picture is not going to be just the straights.

Another Jackalope

(157 posts)
6. The last two lines of that post:
Sun Mar 1, 2026, 04:04 AM
Yesterday

"Iran figured out something the Pentagon still has not.
You do not need to close a strait. You just need to make it uninsurable."

Aussie105

(7,788 posts)
7. How much does the rest of the world depend on oil exports from Iran?
Sun Mar 1, 2026, 04:07 AM
Yesterday

There will be possible fuel shortages and big price jumps for consumers of the oil products.

So much for people who think this conflict won't affect them directly.

https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/middle-east/iran-fuel-petrol-oil-prices-cost-israel-strikes-b2929649.html

ForgedCrank

(3,066 posts)
14. The entire
Sun Mar 1, 2026, 12:29 PM
19 hrs ago

planet depends on that shipping lane. For example, even if Iran is only selling oil to China (who buys most of it right now), if that supply dries up, China will seek oil on the open market to replace that supply, and that in turn affects everyone buying oil by driving up demand from other sources, and as a consequence, the price as well.
The answer is to make sure that Iran can no longer keep pulling this stunt.

roamer65

(37,893 posts)
8. Al Jazeera just reported a tanker was attacked.
Sun Mar 1, 2026, 04:24 AM
Yesterday

That will end insurance of tankers which pass through the strait.

Kaleva

(40,306 posts)
12. This will have a huge impact on China, India, Japan and South Korea
Sun Mar 1, 2026, 12:21 PM
19 hrs ago

About 70% of gas and oil transiting the straits is destined for those 4 nations.

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