Suez/Sumed Complex:After passing through the Bab al-Mandab, oil en route from the Persian Gulf must pass either through the Suez Canal or the Sumed Pipeline complex in Egypt.
Both of these routes connect the Red Sea and Gulf of Suez with the Mediterranean Sea. Around 3 million bbl/d of Persian Gulf oil exports transit the Suez Canal/Sumed complex, destined mainly for Europe and the United States.
Any closure of the Suez Canal and/or Sumed Pipeline would divert tankers around the southern tip of Africa (the Cape of Good Hope), adding greatly to transit time and effectively tying up tanker capacity.
Other Export Routes: In 2000, around 2 million bbl/d (12 percent) of oil from the Persian Gulf was exported via routes besides the Strait of Hormuz.
This oil was exported mainly: 1) via the Saudi East-West pipeline to the port of Yanbu on the Red Sea; 2) via pipeline from Kirkuk, Iraq to the Turkish port of Ceyhan; 3) by truck to Jordan; and 4) by various means (smuggling by truck and small boat, mainly) to a variety of destinations, including Kurdish areas of northern Iraq, Turkey, Jordan, Iran, India, and Pakistan, among others.
OECD Oil Imports from the Persian Gulf: U.S. gross oil imports from the Persian Gulf fell slightly, to around 2.4 million bbl/d during the first 11 months of 2000, from 2.5 million bbl/d in 1999.
The vast majority of Persian Gulf oil imported by the United States came from Saudi Arabia (63 percent), with significant amounts also coming from Iraq (25 percent) and Kuwait (11 percent), and small amounts from Qatar and the United Arab Emirates.
Iraqi exports to the United States fell by about 100,000 bbl/d in January-November 2000 compared to 1999, to just over 600,000 bbl/d, while Saudi exports increased by about 60,000 bbl/d, to 1.54 million bbl/d. In January -November 2000, the United States imported more oil on a daily basis from the Persian Gulf than in any year since 1977.
In 1977, the United States imported 2.45 million bbl/d from the Persian Gulf, accounting for 28 percent of total U.S. gross oil imports, and 13 percent of total U.S. oil demand. In January-November 2000, U.S. oil imports from the Persian Gulf were around 2.4 million bbl/d, or 22 percent of gross U.S. gross oil imports, and 13 percent of total U.S. oil demand.
Western Europe (defined as European countries belonging to the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development -- OECD -- but excluding relatively recent OECD members Poland, Hungary, and the Czech Republic) imported an average of 3.1 million bbl/d of oil from the Persian Gulf during the first 8 months of 2000.
This represented a decrease of about 0.2 million bbl/d from 1999. The largest share of Persian Gulf oil exports to Western Europe came from Saudi Arabia (42 percent), with significant amounts also coming from Iran (25 percent), Iraq (25 percent), and Kuwait (7 percent).
After declining steadily between 1993 and 1996, Western Europe's oil imports from the Persian Gulf as a percentage of oil demand increased significantly in 1997 and 1998, leveled off at around 50 percent in 1999, and fell sharply in 2000 (45 percent).
Japan imported 4.1 million bbl/d from the Persian Gulf during the first 8 months of 2000. Japan's oil imports from the Persian Gulf as a percentage of demand remained approximately flat compared to 1999, at about 74 percent. Japan's dependence on the Persian Gulf for its oil supplies has increased sharply since the 58 percent figure of 1986.
During the first 8 months of 2000, around 32 percent of Japan's imports from the Persian Gulf came from the United Arab Emirates, about 31 percent from Saudi Arabia, 13 percent from Kuwait, 12 percent from Iran, and 11 percent from Qatar.
Imports from the Persian Gulf Region
As percent of Demand As percent of Net Oil Imports
US W. Europe Japan US W. Europe Japan
1983 2.9 percent 27 percent 60 percent 8.8 percent 41 percent 60 percent
1984 3.2 percent 25 percent 61 percent 9.3 percent 39 percent 61 percent
1985 2.0 percent 22 percent 58 percent 6.1 percent 35 percent 59 percent
1986 5.6 percent 29 percent 58 percent 14.7 percent 45 percent 58 percent
1987 6.5 percent 27 percent 59 percent 16.1 percent 43 percent 60 percent
1988 8.9 percent 28 percent 57 percent 20.8 percent 44 percent 58 percent
1989 10.7 percent 30 percent 64 percent 23.1 percent 47 percent 63 percent
1990 11.6 percent 31 percent 66 percent 24.5 percent 48 percent 65 percent
1991 11.0 percent 27 percent 64 percent 24.2 percent 43 percent 64 percent
1992 10.4 percent 27 percent 66 percent 22.5 percent 43 percent 66 percent
1993 10.3 percent 30 percent 69 percent 20.7 percent 50 percent 68 percent
1994 9.8 percent 26 percent 70 percent 19.2 percent 48% 68%
1995 8.9 percent 24 percent 70 percent 17.8 percent 47 percent 70 percent
1996 8.8 percent 22 percent 69 percent 16.9 percent 43 percent 70 percent
1997 9.4 percent 24 percent 75 percent 17.3 percent 47 percent 74 percent
1998 11.3 percent 27 percent 75 percent 19.9 percent 50 percent 76 percent
1999 12.5 percent 23 percent 73 percent 23.0 percent 50 percent 74 percent
2000E 12.5 percent 22 percent 73 percent 22.1 percent 45 percent 75 percent
Source: United Sates Energy Information Administration.
© 2001 Mena Report (www.menareport.com)
