International oil prices face a four-pronged assault!

This time, the Houthis did not adopt a rigid, head-on 'fight-to-the-death' strategy. Instead, they first launched a surprise attack on the Bab el-Mandeb Strait and seized the port of Mocha to draw the attention of Yemen’s government forces. Then, employing a feint-and-flank tactic, they staged a frontal assault on Taiz’s main defensive line while secretly maneuvering around it—covering over 100 kilometers in just 36 hours—and captured Turba, a critical southern supply hub for Taiz. By cutting off food, water, and logistical supplies to the defending forces, the Houthis now stand a chance of forcing Taiz’s surrender. According to foreign media reports, several major tribes along the southern border of Taiz and Lahj provinces have already reached agreements with the Houthis: if they lay down their arms, their property will not be confiscated, and past grievances will be forgiven. For Saudi Arabia, this is extremely bad news. Losing Taiz would leave government forces along the Bab el-Mandeb Strait vulnerable to Houthi attacks from elevated terrain and simultaneous assaults from two directions. Losing Taiz could also sever the overland highway linking to Aden—the interim capital of Yemen. Aden, a coastal city of one million people, suffers severe freshwater shortages and cannot afford desalinated seawater; instead, it relies entirely on groundwater drawn from wells in northern valleys and piped into the city. Likewise, fuel for Aden’s power plants must be transported by road. This means Aden may soon face total collapse—starvation, water cutoff, blackouts, and fuel shortages… Some might ask: why not rely on maritime transport? The Houthis possess drones and missiles capable of holding their own against the U.S. Navy—blockading Aden’s seaport would be effortless. Moreover, Yemen’s government forces are a fragile coalition of disparate factions—can they possibly win such an uphill battle? Thus, Saudi Arabia hastily launched a “comprehensive large-scale counteroffensive,” claiming to have mobilized over 100,000 ground troops! One prong aims to recapture the Bab el-Mandeb Strait, thereby breaking Iran’s dual-strait blockade. The other targets Turba and the nearby Habash Mountains to relieve besieged Taiz. The Saudi-led coalition’s air force has gone all-out—conducting over 150 bombing sorties against the Houthis in a single day! Yemen’s government forces claim to have killed 1,860 Houthi fighters and carried out 2,103 “precision strike operations.” Yet the U.S.-based Institute for the Study of War stated it has observed no major victories achieved by the government forces. Mocha—the strategic port on the Bab el-Mandeb Strait—remains firmly under Houthi control. Taiz remains encircled and is being “gradually digested” by the Houthis. If the Houthis secure a decisive victory, will Saudi Arabia deploy its ground troops directly? Gulf of Mexico: Hurricane hits—U.S. must cut production! Just as Trump imposed a diesel export ban to pressure the G7 into releasing 100 million barrels of strategic reserves—precisely when global oil prices were being suppressed—a hurricane named “Isaias” approached the Gulf of Mexico, forcing oil companies operating there to slash output and evacuate personnel. At noon on October 8, data from the U.S. Bureau of Ocean Energy Management showed that nearly two-thirds of oil production and 57% of natural gas production in the Gulf of Mexico had been shut down. Moreover, 14% of U.S. refining capacity lies directly in the storm’s projected path! “This timing couldn’t be worse, given that gasoline and diesel inventories are extremely low,” said Andy Lipow, president of consulting firm Lipow Oil Associates—meaning “even brief disruptions could have severe consequences.” U.S. media suspect that precisely due to the hurricane threat and critically low inventories, Trump declared he would not launch military strikes against Iran before the midterm elections. And if the hurricane intensifies further, the impact could worsen! Global oil reserve buffers are nearly exhausted! On October 9, the CEO of Saudi Aramco—the world’s largest petrochemical company—stated that global commercial oil inventories currently stand at less than 6 billion barrels, most of which are effectively inaccessible. “The entire system is already stretched extremely thin.”

Hurricane approaches the U.S. Gulf of Mexico, halting one-quarter of crude oil production and driving up oil prices.

Atlantic hurricane season’s first hurricane, ‘Isaias,’ is bearing down on the U.S. Gulf Coast, forcing more than one-quarter of offshore oil production in the region to halt—while ongoing Middle East instability pushed international oil prices up over 5% on Thursday. As of Wednesday noon, data from the U.S. Bureau of Ocean Energy Management showed approximately 512,000 barrels per day (bpd) of oil production facilities in the Gulf of Mexico had been shut down—representing 25% of the region’s total output. Natural gas production facilities affected stood at 16%. Major oil companies—including Shell, Chevron, and BP—have begun evacuating non-essential personnel and shutting down multiple offshore facilities. The hurricane’s timing is especially unfavorable. U.S. refineries are operating at roughly 95% capacity to compensate for overseas supply shortfalls caused by war, while gasoline and distillate inventories sit at seasonal lows unseen in decades—and the Strategic Petroleum Reserve has fallen to its lowest level since 1982. Robert Yawger, Head of Energy Futures at Mizuho Securities, described the situation as “the worst timing in 25 years,” warning that if U.S. refining capacity is forced offline, the consequences “would be catastrophic.” On Thursday, WTI crude surged 5.6% intraday—before partially retreating after Trump stated he would not attack Iran before the midterm elections. As of press time, WTI was up 3.44%. Over one-quarter of Gulf of Mexico crude output halted Energy producers in the U.S. Gulf of Mexico have begun shutting down offshore facilities and evacuating personnel in anticipation of Hurricane Isaias. According to the U.S. National Hurricane Center, Isaias maintains sustained winds of 75 mph and, as of Wednesday night, was located about 460 miles south-southwest of the Mississippi River Delta. Current forecasts indicate the hurricane may make landfall near the Louisiana–Mississippi–Alabama–Florida Panhandle region late Friday night or early Saturday morning. As of Wednesday noon, approximately 512,000 bpd of crude oil production had been halted in the Gulf of Mexico—equivalent to 25% of the region’s current output; natural gas production shutdowns totaled about 16%. In addition, personnel have been evacuated from eight offshore platforms and two drilling rigs. Major oil companies have taken responsive measures. Chevron reported initiating shutdown procedures at four Gulf assets and evacuating associated personnel; Shell has suspended operations at five facilities and evacuated staff, while also withdrawing non-essential personnel from another site. Harbour Energy has begun scaling back output and evacuating personnel at select facilities, and BP is evacuating non-essential staff from its offshore installations. At present, the hurricane’s track remains the key determinant of the extent of energy supply disruption. If the forecast path holds, Chuck Watson, risk modeler at Enki Research, expects oil and gas production interruptions to last no longer than one week. Refining supply faces even greater risks Compared to offshore crude production, markets are far more concerned about the hurricane’s potential impact on the U.S. refining system. Most U.S. refineries are located along the Gulf Coast and are currently operating at roughly 95% capacity—near full utilization. Meanwhile, the U.S. is relying heavily on high refinery throughput to offset overseas supply disruptions caused by war and other factors—leaving virtually no spare system-wide capacity.

About 30% of US Gulf Oil Production Shut in Response to Hurricane Isaias

18 hours ago

US Gulf oil and natural gas production were curtailed by approximately 30% and 25% respectively following Hurricane Isaias, per the Marine Minerals Administration. Personnel have been evacuated from several platforms and rigs in the region.

reuters

2026-10-12

About 30% of US Gulf Oil Production Shut in Response to Hurricane Isaias

About 30% of US Gulf Oil Production Shut in Response to Hurricane Isaias

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