Latest news with #Kpler
See - Sada Elbalad
an hour ago
- Business
- See - Sada Elbalad
Iran Maintains Oil Exports during Conflict with Israel
Taarek Refaat As tensions between Iran and Israel escalate into direct military confrontation, Tehran is quietly repositioning its oil export strategy to protect a crucial revenue stream and navigate tightening U.S. sanctions. According to two ship-tracking firms that spoke with Reuters, Iran is continuing to export crude oil largely unabated, using a "shadow fleet" of tankers and adapting its loading operations to minimize risk. While missile exchanges between the two adversaries have targeted strategic energy infrastructure — including Israel's Haifa oil refinery and Iran's South Pars gas field — Iran's main crude terminal on Kharg Island remains intact. Recent data from energy analytics firm Kpler shows that Iran has loaded 2.2 million barrels of crude per day so far this week, the highest volume in over a month. The loading operations have shifted exclusively to the island's eastern jetty, a move seen as a precaution amid ongoing hostilities. Floating storage allows Iran to respond quickly to market demand and sidestep sanctions enforcement by disguising cargo origins or swapping cargo at sea. This flexibility becomes even more valuable during wartime or geopolitical instability. Despite the reimposed U.S. sanctions — and additional restrictions targeting Chinese refiners since March — Iranian oil exports have remained resilient. The International Energy Agency (IEA) reported on Tuesday that exports have held steady at around 1.7 million barrels per day throughout 2025. read more CBE: Deposits in Local Currency Hit EGP 5.25 Trillion Morocco Plans to Spend $1 Billion to Mitigate Drought Effect Gov't Approves Final Version of State Ownership Policy Document Egypt's Economy Expected to Grow 5% by the end of 2022/23- Minister Qatar Agrees to Supply Germany with LNG for 15 Years Business Oil Prices Descend amid Anticipation of Additional US Strategic Petroleum Reserves Business Suez Canal Records $704 Million, Historically Highest Monthly Revenue Business Egypt's Stock Exchange Earns EGP 4.9 Billion on Tuesday Business Wheat delivery season commences on April 15 News China Launches Largest Ever Aircraft Carrier Sports Former Al Zamalek Player Ibrahim Shika Passes away after Long Battle with Cancer Lifestyle Get to Know 2025 Eid Al Adha Prayer Times in Egypt Business Fear & Greed Index Plummets to Lowest Level Ever Recorded amid Global Trade War Arts & Culture Zahi Hawass: Claims of Columns Beneath the Pyramid of Khafre Are Lies News Flights suspended at Port Sudan Airport after Drone Attacks Videos & Features Video: Trending Lifestyle TikToker Valeria Márquez Shot Dead during Live Stream News Shell Unveils Cost-Cutting, LNG Growth Plan Technology 50-Year Soviet Spacecraft 'Kosmos 482' Crashes into Indian Ocean News 3 Killed in Shooting Attack in Thailand
Business Recorder
3 hours ago
- Business
- Business Recorder
Iran adapts to maintain oil exports during conflict: trackers
LONDON: Iran is maintaining crude oil supply by loading tankers one at a time and moving floating oil storage much closer to China, two vessel tracking firms told Reuters, as the country seeks to keep a key source of revenue while under attack from Israel. The conflict between Iran and Israel which broke out last week poses a fresh hurdle for Iran, which uses a shadow fleet of tankers to conceal their origin and skirt US sanctions reinstated in 2018 over its nuclear programme. Crude exports from Iran, OPEC's third-largest producer, mainly head to China. Loadings have so far been largely unaffected by the conflict with Israel, the trackers said. Iran has loaded 2.2 million barrels per day of crude oil so far this week, marking a five-week high, the latest data from analytics firm Kpler showed. Energy infrastructure in both countries has been targeted in missile exchanges between the two countries, including the Haifa oil refinery in Israel and Iran's South Pars gas field, though Iran's major crude exporting facility at Kharg island has so far been spared. All of the loadings from Kharg Island this week took place from the site's eastern jetty, said Homayoun Falakshai, head of crude oil analysis at tracking firm Kpler. Kharg Island is situated deep inside the Persian Gulf, some 30 km off the Middle Eastern nation's south west coast. 'NIOC may believe it is less risky than the other main jetty located on the western side, in open waters,' Falakshai said, referring to Iran's state oil firm National Iranian Oil Co. Large oil tankers are now approaching Kharg Island one at a time, leaving the second jetty on the western side of the island unused for several days, with 15-16 more Iranian tankers scattered across the wider Persian Gulf area. Iranian oil exports have been steady so far this year at around 1.7 million bpd, the International Energy Agency said on Tuesday, despite US sanctions on Chinese customers since March. Iran has moved part of its 40 million barrel floating storage fleet, which sits on 36 different vessels, much closer to China to minimise the impact of any disrupions on buyers, ship tracking firm Vortexa told Reuters. Around ten tankers, carrying approximately 8 million barrels of Iranian crude, are now stationed directly offshore China, Vortexa said, moving from the Singapore area where a further 20 million barrels are located. The remaining 12 or so million barrels were in the Persian Gulf at the start of the month, Vortexa added, but their current location was not clear.
Miami Herald
8 hours ago
- Business
- Miami Herald
Why Iran War Hurts China More Than America
China's energy supply from the Middle East could face severe disruptions as the Israel-Iran conflict threatens to spill over into a wider regional war. The industrial superpower's $19 trillion economy relies heavily on coal, natural gas and crude oil for manufacturing. China was the world's largest consumer of energy in 2024 and the second-largest consumer of oil behind the United States, according to the London-based Energy Institute. Israel has launched a week of airstrikes targeting sites in Iran, including facilities central to Tehran's nuclear program, but its energy export infrastructure has so far been spared. That could change as the war intensifies, and fears are growing that Iranian political leaders could respond to any U.S. military intervention by blockading the strategic Strait of Hormuz. Officially, China imported no oil from Iran last year. However, energy researchers say Iranian oil delivered via unofficial channels, such as transshipment, largely end up in the country's smaller independent refineries. The U.S. has sanctioned Chinese entities that allegedly assist in Iran's secret oil trade in defiance of Western restrictions. Over 90 percent of Iran's sanctioned-and therefore cheaper-crude oil exports go to China, including via transshipment points such as Malaysia, said commodities analysts at Kpler. But Chinese energy imports are further exposed in or near the Persian Gulf, where six of its top 10 oil suppliers are found in official government statistics. While Beijing's top oil supplier in 2024 was neighboring Russia, shipments from Saudi Arabia, Iraq, Oman, the United Arab Emirates, Kuwait and Qatar together accounted for over half of China's oil imports, according to Newsweek's analysis of available customs data. The U.S. bought the bulk of its crude oil from Canada. Saudi Arabia and Iraq were among its top 10 suppliers but only accounted for around 8 percent of its imports. Energy markets are jittery. U.S. President Donald Trump's call for Iran's "unconditioned surrender" sent up oil prices this week, but global costs would spike if Tehran follows through on its threat to close the Strait of Hormuz, which links the Persian Gulf to the Gulf of Oman and the wider Indian Ocean region. The U.S. Energy Information Administration estimates that up to 20 million barrels of crude oil each day flow through the waterway, which is just 21 miles wide at its narrowest point. Oil prices are still on the rise as the Israel-Iran missile war enters its seventh day. West Texas Intermediate crude, a U.S. price measurement, topped $76 per barrel, a five-month high. The international standard Brent crude reached $77 per barrel, a four-month high. A major conflict that cuts off supply lines from the region could result in a global economic shock that sends oil above $100 per barrel. Prices last reached that point in March 2022, after Russia's invasion of Ukraine. Officials in Beijing appear to be planning for the worst. China has been building up crude oil stockpiles by refining less than it buys and produces itself, according to Reuters. What's more, disruptions in the Middle East could directly benefit Russia, among the world's top energy exporters. China's Foreign Ministry did not immediately respond to a written request for comment after hours. Howard J. Shatz, a senior economist at the RAND Corporation, said in analysis published by the think tank this week: "Oil prices jumped with the start of Israel's action against Iran, suggesting that oil markets see increased risk, but it is too soon to reach a concrete judgment on global economic consequences. "There will be two specific factors to watch to make a better judgment as to global economic consequences: first, whether Iran attacks Gulf Arab oil infrastructure, and second, whether passage through the Strait of Hormuz is blocked. If either or both happen, energy prices are likely to rise much further, raising the risk of a global recession. If neither happens, there will be heightened risk, but more modest energy price increases to which the world can probably adjust, although with a modest drag on growth." World leaders have moved to inject calm in the Middle East, the latest being Chinese President Xi Jinping and Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin, who in a call on Thursday condemned Israel for escalating tensions by striking Iran. "If the conflict escalates further, not only will the conflicting parties suffer greater losses, but regional countries will also suffer greatly," Xi said, according to China's official Xinhua news agency. "The parties to the conflict, especially Israel, should cease fire as soon as possible to prevent the situation from escalating in turn and resolutely avoid the spillover of war," he added. Related Articles Video of Theo Von Sounding Alarm on Possible War With Iran Takes Off OnlineSatellite Images Show Iran's Buried Nuclear Sites That Trump Could StrikeRussia's Alliance With Iran Explained Following Nuclear WarningPutin is Close to Losing His Grip on the Middle East 2025 NEWSWEEK DIGITAL LLC.
Newsweek
13 hours ago
- Business
- Newsweek
Why Iran War Hurts China More Than America
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. China's energy supply from the Middle East could face severe disruptions as the Israel-Iran conflict threatens to spill over into a wider regional war. The industrial superpower's $19 trillion economy relies heavily on coal, natural gas and crude oil for manufacturing. China was the world's largest consumer of energy in 2024 and the second-largest consumer of oil behind the United States, according to the London-based Energy Institute. Why It Matters Israel has launched a week of airstrikes targeting sites in Iran, including facilities central to Tehran's nuclear program, but its energy export infrastructure has so far been spared. That could change as the war intensifies, and fears are growing that Iranian political leaders could respond to any U.S. military intervention by blockading the strategic Strait of Hormuz. Officially, China imported no oil from Iran last year. However, energy researchers say Iranian oil delivered via unofficial channels, such as transshipment, largely end up in the country's smaller independent refineries. The U.S. has in the past sanctioned Chinese entities that allegedly assist in Iran's secret oil trade in defiance of Western restrictions. Over 90 percent of Iran's sanctioned—and therefore cheaper—crude oil exports go to China, mostly via transshipment points such as Malaysia, said commodities analysts at Kpler. But Chinese energy imports are further exposed in or near the Persian Gulf, where six of its top 10 oil suppliers are found according to official data. What To Know While Beijing's top oil supplier in 2024 was neighboring Russia, shipments from Saudi Arabia, Iraq, Oman, the United Arab Emirates, Kuwait and Qatar together accounted for over half of China's oil imports, according to Newsweek's analysis of available customs data. The U.S. bought the bulk of its crude oil from Canada. Saudi Arabia and Iraq were among its top 10 suppliers but only accounted for around 8 percent of its imports. Energy markets are jittery. U.S. President Donald Trump's call for Iran's "unconditioned surrender" sent up oil prices this week, but global costs would spike if Tehran follows through on its threat to close the Strait of Hormuz, which links the Persian Gulf to the Gulf of Oman and the wider Indian Ocean region. The U.S. Energy Information Administration estimates that up to 20 million barrels of crude oil each day flow through the waterway, which is just 21 miles wide at its narrowest point. Oil prices are still on the rise as the Israel-Iran missile war enters its seventh day. West Texas Intermediate crude, a U.S. price measurement, topped $76 per barrel, a five-month high. The international standard Brent crude reached $77 per barrel, a four-month high. A major conflict that cuts off supply lines from the region could result in a global economic shock that sends oil above $100 per barrel. Prices last reached that point after in March 2022, after Russia's invasion of Ukraine. Officials in Beijing appear to be planning for the worst. China has been building up crude oil stockpiles by refining less than it buys and produces itself, according to Reuters. What's more, disruptions in the Middle East could directly benefit Russia, among the world's top energy exporters. China's Foreign Ministry did not immediately respond to a written request for comment after hours. What People Are Saying Howard J. Shatz, a senior economist at the RAND Corporation, said in analysis published by the think tank this week: "Oil prices jumped with the start of Israel's action against Iran, suggesting that oil markets see increased risk, but it is too soon to reach a concrete judgment on global economic consequences. "There will be two specific factors to watch to make a better judgment as to global economic consequences: first, whether Iran attacks Gulf Arab oil infrastructure, and second, whether passage through the Strait of Hormuz is blocked. If either or both happen, energy prices are likely to rise much further, raising the risk of a global recession. If neither happens, there will be heightened risk, but more modest energy price increases to which the world can probably adjust, although with a modest drag on growth." Smoke billows after an Iranian missile struck an oil refinery in Haifa in northern Israel on June 16, 2025. Smoke billows after an Iranian missile struck an oil refinery in Haifa in northern Israel on June 16, 2025. Ariel Schalit/AP What Happens Next World leaders have moved to inject calm in the Middle East, the latest being Chinese President Xi Jinping and Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin, who in a call on Thursday condemned Israel for escalating tensions by striking Iran. "If the conflict escalates further, not only will the conflicting parties suffer greater losses, but regional countries will also suffer greatly," Xi said, according to China's official Xinhua news agency. "The parties to the conflict, especially Israel, should cease fire as soon as possible to prevent the situation from escalating in turn and resolutely avoid the spillover of war," he added.
Zawya
14 hours ago
- Business
- Zawya
Iran adapts to maintain oil exports during conflict, trackers say
Iran is maintaining crude oil supply by loading tankers one at a time and moving floating oil storage much closer to China, two vessel tracking firms told Reuters, as the country seeks to keep a key source of revenue while under attack from Israel. The conflict between Iran and Israel which broke out last week poses a fresh hurdle for Iran, which uses a shadow fleet of tankers to conceal their origin and skirt U.S. sanctions reinstated in 2018 over its nuclear programme. Crude exports from Iran, OPEC's third-largest producer, mainly head to China. Loadings have so far been largely unaffected by the conflict with Israel, the trackers said. Iran has loaded 2.2 million barrels per day of crude oil so far this week, marking a five-week high, the latest data from analytics firm Kpler showed. Energy infrastructure in both countries has been targeted in missile exchanges between the two countries, including the Haifa oil refinery in Israel and Iran's South Pars gas field, though Iran's major crude exporting facility at Kharg island has so far been spared. All of the loadings from Kharg Island this week took place from the site's eastern jetty, said Homayoun Falakshai, head of crude oil analysis at tracking firm Kpler. Kharg Island is situated deep inside the Persian Gulf, some 30 km off the Middle Eastern nation's south west coast. "NIOC may believe it is less risky than the other main jetty located on the western side, in open waters," Falakshai said, referring to Iran's state oil firm National Iranian Oil Co. Large oil tankers are now approaching Kharg Island one at a time, leaving the second jetty on the western side of the island unused for several days, with 15-16 more Iranian tankers scattered across the wider Persian Gulf area. Iranian oil exports have been steady so far this year at around 1.7 million bpd, the International Energy Agency said on Tuesday, despite U.S. sanctions on Chinese customers since March. Iran has moved part of its 40 million barrel floating storage fleet, which sits on 36 different vessels, much closer to China to minimise the impact of any disrupions on buyers, ship tracking firm Vortexa told Reuters. Around ten tankers, carrying approximately 8 million barrels of Iranian crude, are now stationed directly offshore China, Vortexa said, moving from the Singapore area where a further 20 million barrels are located. The remaining 12 or so million barrels were in the Persian Gulf at the start of the month, Vortexa added, but their current location was not clear. Having floating storage allows tankers to load crude oil without an immediate fixed destination to head to. "Iran has been moving these barrels eastwards even without firm orders to strategically place the barrels closer to the end buyers in a time of heightened geopolitical risk," Vortexa's senior China market analyst Emma Li said Moving barrels closer to China would offset the impact of up to two weeks of disrupted Iranian loadings, Vortexa added. (Reporting by Robert Harvey, editing by Alex Lawler, Dmitry Zhdannikov and Elaine Hardcastle)
