Middle East Conflict

The Strait of Hormuz remains the world’s most consequential energy chokepoint. Nearly 21 million barrels per day of oil— about one-fifth of global consumption — passes through this narrow maritime corridor connecting the Gulf to the Indian Ocean. For India, which imports roughly 85 percent of its crude oil, instability in this region represents a persistent macroeconomic vulnerability.

As volatility grips global energy markets, this episode of the Energy Connects Podcast explores how the Middle East conflict is redefining the definition of energy security. Host Chiranjib Sengupta speaks with Joe McMonigle, President and CEO of the Global Center for Energy Analysis and former Secretary General of the International Energy Forum, to examine the growing spotlight on resiliency across the global energy system. With the Strait of Hormuz under threat, the discussion highlights supply chain vulnerabilities, strategic reserves, infrastructure protection, and the need for diversified energy systems. McMonigle also offers key insights into how governments and industry are adapting to a security-first energy landscape.

His Excellency Dr. Sultan Al Jaber, UAE Minister of Industry and Advanced Technology, Managing Director and Group CEO of ADNOC, Chairman of Masdar and Executive Chairman of XRG, said on Monday weaponising the Strait of Hormuz is an act of economic terrorism that carries a global impact far beyond energy markets.

Oil and natural gas prices surged on Thursday after the world's largest natural gas field in Qatar and key energy infrastructure across the Gulf states came under attack from Iran amid the continuing Middle East conflict. Amid the escalating attacks, HE.. Dr Sultan Al Jaber, UAE Minister of Industry and Advanced Technology, and Managing Director and Group CEO of ADNOC, said on Thursday that energy infrastructure should never be a target.

As the Middle East conflict enters its third week, global energy markets remain on the edge. In this episode of the Energy Connects Podcast, host Chiranjib Sengupta speaks with Anne-Sophie Corbeau, Global Research Scholar at the Center on Global Energy Policy, Columbia University, to examine the impact on LNG and natural gas markets. With around 110 billion cubic metres of LNG flows through the Strait of Hormuz disrupted, Asia faces the greatest exposure while Europe risks tighter supplies during its critical storage injection period. Anne-Sophie also explores market resilience, shifting LNG trade flows, and how prolonged disruption could reshape global energy security and the industry’s long-term outlook.

G7 economies and the International Energy Agency on Wednesday agreed to release a record 400 million barrels of oil from their strategic stockpiles to combat the volatility in global oil prices, as the Middle East conflict showed no signs of abating in its second week. The IEA said all 32 member countries backed the move, the sixth coordinated stockpile release since the 1970s. US Energy Secretary Chris Wright said Washington would contribute the bulk of ‌the supply, by supplying 172 million barrels.

The resilience of the global energy system, energy security and supply strategies will be in the spotlight for the foreseeable future as the war in Iran sends global energy prices soaring. With the Middle East conflict running through its second week, the focus of the global energy ecosystem has moved from immediate market shocks to a more fundamental assessment of global energy resilience, according to a panel of global energy experts who took part in a recent webinar organised by Energy Connects.