Middle East Oil Flows Recover to About 80% of Pre-Conflict Levels

Middle East oil flows have returned to about 80% of pre-conflict levels, a sign of the region’s energy-export recovery as vessel traffic through key waterways remains difficult to measure.

Shell CEO Wael Sawan said Tuesday at an energy intelligence forum in London that flows had recovered to more than 80% of their pre-conflict level. He described regional countries as resilient and said they continued to supply global energy markets.

The precise recovery level remains disputed. Ship counts in the Strait of Hormuz and parts of the Red Sea are difficult to establish because vessels frequently turn off satellite signals, making cargo volumes harder to calculate.