Middle East oil exports surpass pre-war levels despite tensions, data shows

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Reuters. (2026, October 5). Middle East oil exports surpass pre-war levels despite tensions, data shows. Al Jazeera. https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2026/10/5/middle-east-oil-exports-surpass-pre-war-levels-despite-tensions-data-shows?traffic_source=rss

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Quick Summary

Middle East crude oil exports exceeded pre-war levels for four out of seven days in late September, according to ship-tracking firm Kpler, reaching 19.5-22.5 million barrels per day (bpd) during that period. However, an Iranian military official claimed only three to four million bpd were moving through the region, calling it "negligible." The data also shows a rise in liquefied natural gas cargoes exiting the Strait of Hormuz, with Iran stating it will keep the strait closed until certain conditions are met by the United States.

Written by AI on 2026-10-05, from this article's own text only (the story summary below draws on all the coverage).

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Crude oil exports from West Asia exceeded pre-war levels in four out of seven days at the end of September 2026, according to provisional data from ship-tracking firm Kpler. Despite ongoing tanker attacks, including one incident involving an unknown projectile hitting a large crude carrier (VLCC) named Kazimah III near the Strait of Hormuz on October 1st, which caused onboard fires and injuries to crew members. Before the war started in February 2026 between the U.S.-Israeli coalition and Iran, the region's exports averaged about 18 million barrels per day (bpd). During September, however, Kpler recorded peak daily export volumes ranging from 19.5 million bpd to 22.5 million bpd. This resurgence comes despite claims by senior Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps commander Ali Fadavi that only 3-4 million bpd are currently moving through the route compared to pre-war traffic, dismissing this amount as "negligible." The increase is attributed partly to increased ship-to-ship transfers reducing risks of Iranian missile or drone strikes.

Written for “Oil Exports Amid Attacks” on 2026-10-31, grounded in this article and the 4 other(s) covering the same event.

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📰 Oil Exports Amid Attacks

Economy/Business · 5 article(s) covering the same event. Compare every outlet's account →

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This article reads leans left and hedges 20% of its claims. Each row says how that neighbour differs.

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Hedges 0 of 3 claims Outlet record 60/100

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Hedges 3 of 24 claims Outlet record 66/100

“The articles describe different aspects related to oil prices and exports, but do not refer to the same specific incident or time frame.”

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⚖️ Leans right further right than this Hedges 0 of 7 claims Outlet record 66/100

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Hedges 4 of 32 claims Outlet record 68/100

“Article A describes a specific attack on an oil refinery in Saudi Arabia, while Article B discusses overall crude oil exports from the Middle East surpassing pre-war levels.”

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20%

2 of 10 hedged ("reportedly", "may", "according to")

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60/100

Al Jazeera's corrections and hedging, across everything collected from it. Not a measure of accuracy.

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Economy/Business

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Reuters

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Claims (10 extracted, 2 hedged)

Crude oil exports from the Middle East have risen above pre-war levels on four of the seven days in the last week of September, provisional data from ship-tracking firm Kpler showed. asserted

data → rise → Kpler

However, senior Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) commander Ali Fadavi said in a televised interview on Sunday night that only three to four million barrels of oil per day (bpd) are now moving through the route, dismissing the amount as “negligible” when compared with pre-war traffic. Recommended Stories list of 3 items- list 1 of 3Iran says Hormuz to remain closed until US meets conditions - list 2 of 3US withdraws B-1 bomber aircraft from UK’s Fairford base amid Iran fears - list 3 of 3Why is fighting intensifying in Yemen’s Taiz governorate? Fadavi said, for the first time, no US vessels were present in the Gulf, the Strait of Hormuz, the Sea of Oman or even the northern Indian Ocean and US warships are “100 percent vulnerable” to IRGC attacks. Kpler data showed crude exports from the region exceeded pre-war levels on September 24 and between September 27 and 29, rising to 19.5-22.5 million bpd. Around that time, Iran claimed success in attacking ships – including US Navy vessels – near the Strait of Hormuz, saying the strikes had forced Washington to move its warships further from the Iranian coast. asserted

strikes → say → coast

Before the US-Israel war on Iran began, exports averaged 18 million bpd between March 2025 and February 2026. asserted

exports → begin → March

According to Kpler data, the overall tally for crude, oil products, chemicals and non-gas liquids averaged 22.4 million bpd in the seven days to September 30. uncertain

tally → accord → September

On October 1, the seven-day moving average for crude exports was at 18.5 million bpd. asserted

average → move → bpd

This includes transits via the Strait of Hormuz, the Red Sea, exports from terminals and ship-to-ship transfers in the Gulf of Oman. asserted

This → include → Oman

The number of liquefied natural gas cargoes exiting the Strait of Hormuz also rose in September to its highest monthly level since February. asserted

number → liquefy → February

The figures exclude any vessels that might have crossed the strait with their automatic identification system transponders turned off to avoid detection. uncertain

transponders → exclude → detection

The United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations agency reported at least one attack a day in the Strait of Hormuz or in the Gulf of Aden since October 2. asserted

agency → report → October

On Sunday, Iran’s top negotiator and parliament speaker, Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, said the Strait of Hormuz would remain closed until the United States accepts Tehran’s seven-day plan to reopen the waterway. asserted

States → say → waterway

Middle East oil exports surpass pre-war levels despite tensions, data shows

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Claims (10 extracted, 2 hedged)