Global GridStrait of Hormuz: how much oil and gas passes through
The Strait of Hormuz, between Iran and Oman, is the only sea route out of the Persian Gulf. In January to June 2025 about 20.9 million barrels of oil a day passed through it, 26% of all the oil carried by sea, and about 11.4 billion cubic feet of LNG a day.
2026: Shipping through the Strait of Hormuz has been severely disrupted since late February 2026 by the conflict involving Iran. The US Energy Information Administration reports that 14.6 million barrels of oil a day passed through it in the first three months of 2026, down from 20.4 million a year earlier. Brent crude was $123.10 a barrel on 27 October 2026, against $65.52 a year earlier.
See the tankers and routes on the animated Flows map: it follows the oil through Hormuz from each exporter to each buyer, year by year.
Oil and LNG through the Strait of Hormuz, year by year
| Year | Oil (million barrels a day) | Share of oil carried by sea | LNG (billion cubic feet a day) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2020 | 19.2 | 26% | 10.7 |
| 2021 | 19.7 | 26% | 10.8 |
| 2022 | 21.9 | 28% | 11.0 |
| 2023 | 21.8 | 27% | 10.6 |
| 2024 | 20.7 | 26% | 10.5 |
| Jan–Jun 2025 | 20.9 | 26% | 11.4 |
Oil means crude oil and oil products such as diesel and fuel oil. LNG is liquefied natural gas.
Where the crude oil comes from (Jan–Jun 2025)
| Exporter | Million barrels a day | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Saudi Arabia | 5.55 | 38% |
| Iraq | 3.28 | 22% |
| United Arab Emirates | 2.05 | 14% |
| Iran | 1.59 | 11% |
| Kuwait | 1.49 | 10% |
| Qatar | 0.66 | 5% |
Where it goes
| Buyer | Million barrels a day | Share |
|---|---|---|
| China | 5.40 | 45% |
| India | 2.05 | 17% |
| South Korea | 1.75 | 15% |
| Japan | 1.70 | 14% |
| Europe | 0.59 | 5% |
| United States | 0.43 | 4% |
Crude oil only, for the largest exporters and buyers the US Energy Information Administration lists, so the totals are smaller than the oil figure above.
The oil price over the past year
Brent crude, US dollars a barrel, daily (US Energy Information Administration). More on the oil prices page.
Questions and answers
How much oil passes through the Strait of Hormuz?
About 20.9 million barrels a day in January to June 2025 (20.7 million in 2024), counting crude oil and oil products, according to the US Energy Information Administration. That was about 26% of all the oil carried by sea.
Which countries ship oil through the Strait of Hormuz?
In January to June 2025, the largest crude oil flows came from Saudi Arabia (5.55 million barrels a day), Iraq (3.28), the United Arab Emirates (2.05), Iran (1.59), Kuwait (1.49) and Qatar (0.66).
Where does the oil from the Strait of Hormuz go?
Mostly to Asia: China, India, South Korea and Japan took 91% of the crude oil listed in January to June 2025. The largest buyer was China, with 5.40 million barrels a day.
How much LNG passes through the Strait of Hormuz?
About 11.4 billion cubic feet of liquefied natural gas (LNG) a day in January to June 2025, or roughly 118 billion cubic metres a year, mostly from Qatar and the United Arab Emirates.
What happened to shipping through the Strait of Hormuz in 2026?
Shipping through the Strait of Hormuz has been severely disrupted since late February 2026 by the conflict involving Iran. The US Energy Information Administration reports that 14.6 million barrels of oil a day passed through it in the first three months of 2026, down from 20.4 million a year earlier.
What is the oil price now?
Brent crude was $123.10 a barrel on 27 October 2026 (the US Energy Information Administration's spot price), against $65.52 a year earlier. Its highest in the past year was $138.21, on 7 April 2026.
More on energy security
- Oil shipping chokepoints
- Strategic oil reserves
- Oil and gas prices
- World power grid map
- UK electricity interconnectors
- Every country's energy security score
Sources: US Energy Information Administration, World Oil Transit Chokepoints (EIA analysis based on Vortexa tanker tracking) and its LNG tables (public domain); Brent: EIA daily spot prices. Not financial advice.
To cite this page: Global Grid, “Strait of Hormuz: how much oil and gas passes through”, globalgrid.uk/strait-of-hormuz, and the original source named above.