

Uncharted waters: Why rising waterborne oil supplies are the lifeline of global energy grid
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According to the latest International Energy Agency (IEA) data, cumulative supply losses from Gulf producers have now exceeded 1 billion barrels, with more than 14 million barrels per day (mbpd) currently shut in. In February 2026, global stocks were relatively stable at post-2025 surplus levels, with waterborne oil accounting for roughly 25% of total inventories.
Following the outbreak of conflict in March 2026, total global stocks drew down by 129 million barrels.By April and May 2026, global stocks fell by a further 117 million barrels. While on-land inventories plummeted by 170 million barrels (down 5.7 mbpd), oil-on-water saw a rebound of 53 million barrels.
Analysts, however, warn that this is a deceptive metric.When the conflict began in late February, floating stocks became a crucial, albeit temporary, source of relief. Now, with the conflict over 75 days old, waterborne inventories are being closely monitored.
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