US Energy Secretary: 18 million barrels of oil crossed the Strait of Hormuz yesterday
US Energy Secretary: 18 million barrels of oil crossed the Strait of Hormuz yesterday
2026-09-16
Shafaq News – Washington
U.S. Energy Secretary Chris Wright said on Wednesday that 18 million barrels of crude oil and refined products passed through the Strait of Hormuz the previous day, while the seven-day average was about 11 million barrels per day.
Wright added, in an interview with Fox Business Network, that an assessment of the damage to the Saudi oil pipeline running from east to west is underway, and that the pipeline will be back in operation “soon”.
He stressed that increasing the flow of supplies through the Bab al-Mandab Strait would be beneficial.
He noted that President Donald Trump’s administration is considering invoking the Defense Production Act to boost U.S. refining capacity, adding that an American oil company will discuss investing in Venezuela today.
Earlier today, the Iranian Revolutionary Guard announced that it had shot down an American-made MQ-9 drone during the night in the airspace of Qeshm Island, located in the Strait of Hormuz.
It is worth noting that the Iranian Revolutionary Guard announced yesterday, Tuesday, that it shot down 3 MQ-1 drones over the Strait of Hormuz and its surroundings.
Control of the strait, a transit route for about one-fifth of the world’s oil, has become a major point of contention in negotiations aimed at de-escalating tensions with Iran.
With negotiations to reach an agreement to reopen the waterway faltering, President Donald Trump has returned to economic pressure in the form of US sanctions and a blockade.
shafaq.com
