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EMEA Oil Update: Brent Falls for 4th Day on Omani-Iranian Shipping Accord

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Brent crude futures fell for a forth straight day on Thursday on reports of Iran and Oman reaching a breakthrough revenue-sharing agreement for shipping through the Strait of Hormuz.

Brent dropped 1.7% to $86.38 per barrel, while Murban crude futures closed at $93.77/bbl on Wednesday and were not trading at the time of publication of this update.

The diplomatic landscape in the Middle East shifted as Iran and Oman agreed on terms for sharing the waters and revenues of the strait, though Tehran reportedly noted that fully reopening the vital waterway requires broader measures.

This development aligned with statements from President Trump noting that 10 million barrels moved through the corridor and reiterating that naval mines have been cleared.

However, US allies reportedly said that the strait still harbors some of the 80 to 150 mines initially laid by Iran, and commercial vessel traffic remains well below pre-war averages amid lingering security fears.

Data from analytics firm Kpler showed just five vessels crossing the strait on August 25, down 28.6% from the previous day, with all of them utilizing Iran's unilateral transit scheme.

On the supply side, the latest Energy Information Administration weekly report released on Wednesday showed that US commercial crude oil inventories increased by 100,000 barrels to stand at 428.9 mmbbls for the week ended August 21.

Meanwhile, analysts said that new US sanctions targeting Iran landed notably milder than market participants had initially feared, helping to steady sentiment as the energy sector navigates ongoing regional hurdles.

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Oil & Energy

US Oil Update: Futures Ease as Iran-Oman Hormuz Deal Tempers Supply Fears

Crude futures settled lower in after-hours trading on Wednesday after Iran and Oman agreed on a deal to resume shipping via the Strait of Hormuz, easing fears of a prolonged supply disruption from the Middle East.Front-month West Texas Intermediate crude eased by 0.6% to $81.91 per barrel, while Brent futures retreated 1.3% to $87.46/bbl.US commercial crude oil inventories increased by 100,000 barrels to 428.9 mmbbls in the week ended Aug. 21, the Energy Information Administration said in its weekly report released Wednesday.Crude inventories are 1% above the five-year average for this time of year, the EIA said.The build is below Investing.com's estimate of a 1.6-mmbbl increase for the week ended Aug. 21.Gelber & Associates said that US crude inventory figures are being offset by Iran-Oman talks to reopen a temporary route through the Strait of Hormuz, which have taken some urgency out of the geopolitical risk premium.Iran and Oman on Wednesday agreed to a phased framework to facilitate the resumption of safe navigation through the Strait of Hormuz, according to local media reports.The framework includes establishing a joint temporary navigational corridor, a joint mine-clearance project, and further technical talks on a permanent navigation route and the future administration of the strategic waterway."I am hopeful we will soon announce a temporary corridor for the Strait of Hormuz and practical arrangements to restore safe navigation," Omani Foreign Minister Sayyid Badr Albusaidi said in a social media post on X on Tuesday.On Wednesday, President Trump repeated claims that the water mines in the Hormuz had been removed or detonated and the key energy chokepoint is open. Trump said the US Navy is taking a lot of ships through the strait, adding that some 10 million barrels transited the strategic waterway yesterday.Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps spokesman General Hossein Mohebbi said that Iran and Oman have reached an agreement on the Hormuz, which remains under Iran's control, Press TV reported Wednesday.Mohebbi said Iran could reopen the Strait if the US ends its interference and returns to the memorandum of understanding reached with Oman.The situation in the Hormuz, which previously handled about 20% of the world's oil, remains complex.Commercial vessel traffic through the Strait of Hormuz and the Bab el-Mandeb Strait dropped on Tuesday, according to the latest data from MarineTraffic, underscoring continued caution among operators navigating the Middle East's key energy chokepoints.

Oil & Energy

Hormuz Traffic Remains Subdued as Iran-Oman Work on Navigation Framework

Commercial vessel traffic through the Strait of Hormuz and Bab el-Mandeb remained well below the pre-war average on Tuesday, with security risks still weighing on shipping activity even as Iran and Oman agreed on a framework to restore safe navigation through the strategic waterway.The latest data from Kpler show that five vessels crossed the Strait of Hormuz on Aug. 25, down 28.6% from seven a day earlier. The data analytics firm said that all five vessels used Iran's unilateral transit scheme, with two vessels entering the Middle East Gulf and three exiting.Kpler identified four of the vessels as shadow vessels and one as sanctioned, underscoring the limited nature of commercial traffic through the strait.The UK Maritime Trade Operations reported one confirmed attack on Tuesday, while activity by Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, including attempted attacks and harassment, persisted.The UKMTO said that the continued presence of such activity, along with the risk of drifting or uncharted mines, has kept the Hormuz a high-risk transit route. Mine danger areas remain active in and around the traffic separation scheme.Meanwhile, Iran and Oman have agreed on a phased framework intended to facilitate the resumption of safe navigation through the Strait, according to state-owned news agencies.The framework calls for a temporary joint navigational corridor through the Hormuz and a joint project to clear mines. Technical discussions will continue to establish a permanent navigation route and determine future arrangements for the administration of the waterway.Iran and Oman also plan to discuss mechanisms for information-sharing and traffic management, as well as the provision of navigational and security services.The consultations reflect efforts to establish a practical basis for restoring shipping through the strait following the recent war and its repercussions, the report said.The UKMTO said that any improvement in navigational conditions could help restore commercial vessel movements, although the continued threat of attacks, harassment and mines means shipping companies are likely to remain cautious.Meanwhile, traffic through the Bab el-Mandeb Strait also declined on Aug. 25, with 36 confirmed crossings compared with 39 a day earlier, a 7.7% drop.A total of 15 vessels entered the Red Sea and 21 exited. The total included seven sanctioned vessels, five shadow vessels, 24 vessels in other categories and two dark transits.

Oil & Energy

Market Chatter: US Allies Question Trump Claim That Hormuz Is Free of Iranian Mines

US allies privately believe the Strait of Hormuz still contains some of the 80 to 150 mines Iran is thought to have laid, despite President Donald Trump's claim that the US Navy cleared them all, Bloomberg reported Wednesday, citing sources.US officials disputed the assessment, with one source saying the mine estimates were outdated, while Capt. Tim Hawkins, a US Central Command spokesman, said recognized transit routes in the Strait of Hormuz are free of Iranian sea mines, according to the report.Allied officials say mine-clearing efforts face added challenges as sea currents may have shifted even identified mines from their original positions. US Centcom did not immediately reply to' request for comment.(Market Chatter news is derived from conversations with market professionals globally. This information is believed to be from reliable sources but may include rumor and speculation. Accuracy is not guaranteed.)