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Persian Gulf oil flows return to near prewar levels, Kpler data show

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Coverage spectrum

Covered by 5 outlets across the spectrum.

5 articles in total. The spectrum counts each outlet once and leaves opinion out. How we measure bias

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Oil shipments from the Persian Gulf have recovered to near prewar levels, according to maritime tracking data from Kpler that the outlets cite. The Financial Times, MarketWatch, Bloomberg and the New York Post report the recovery. Kpler figures cited in the coverage put crude and condensate flows at 24.6 million barrels a day in the week to October 18, against a prewar average of 23.3 million. Bloomberg reports that the October-to-date average remains below prewar levels, and the New York Post reports that about 14 million barrels a day transited the Strait of Hormuz, about 82% of the prewar flow. Bloomberg and the New York Post also report Iranian attacks on merchant ships in the region, with the New York Post citing at least 30 ships attacked in October so far.

Headline and summary written by Mantle’s AI from the coverage below, under published rules. How this works

What happened

Key points

Each point shows who reports it, from Far Left to Far Right.

  1. Kpler data show Persian Gulf crude and condensate flows reached 24.6 million barrels a day in the week to October 18, above the 23.3 million pre-war level.

    Reported byLeft1Center1Right1See the outletsHide the outlets
    Left
    Bloomberg
    Center
    Financial Times
    Right
    New York Post

  2. Bloomberg reports that October-to-date average Gulf flows remain below prewar levels, while MarketWatch says flows have nearly returned to prewar levels.

    Reported byLeft1Center1See the outletsHide the outlets
    Left
    Bloomberg
    Center
    MarketWatch

  3. The New York Post reports that about 14 million barrels a day transited the Strait of Hormuz, about 82% of the prewar flow, according to preliminary Kpler figures.

    One outletNew York Post· Right

  4. Iran has attacked merchant ships in the region, and the New York Post cites at least 30 ships attacked in October so far according to the UK Maritime Trade Operations Centre and maritime tracking firms.

    Reported byLeft1Right1See the outletsHide the outlets
    Left
    Bloomberg
    Right
    New York Post

  5. MarketWatch reports that traders remain wary about the durability of the recovery in Gulf oil flows.

    One outletMarketWatch· Center

What is contested

Where accounts differ

Points the coverage does not agree on, and who says what.

  • Gulf oil flows have surpassed prewar levels.

    The Financial Times and the New York Post report daily shipments above the prewar average in recent data, citing Kpler. Bloomberg reports the week to October 18 peaked above prewar levels but says the October-to-date average remains below. MarketWatch says flows have nearly returned to prewar levels.

How each side tells it

Compare views

Every side reports that Gulf oil flows have recovered to near prewar levels. The center and right stress the return itself, while the left stresses volatility, Iranian attacks and October averages still below prewar.

  • the left

    1 outlet

    Bloomberg’s headline presents near-prewar oil flows as defying Iranian attacks on Hormuz shipping, placing the resilience of flows at the center of the story.

    Middle East Oil Flows Near Prewar Levels Loaded verb“Defy”The verb presents the flows as resisting attacks, which goes beyond the reported shipment data.More neutral: Continue despiteDisagree with this highlight? Hormuz Attacks
    BloombergLeftAll left-leaning headlines

  • the center

    2 outlets

    Headlines state the return to prewar levels plainly, with MarketWatch adding a focus on whether prices will fall and the recovery’s fragility.

    Middle East oil exports climb back to prewar levels
    Financial TimesCenterAll center headlines

  • the right

    2 outlets

    The New York Post headline says Gulf exports surpass the prewar high and that the market adapts to Iran’s attacks, stressing the record pace of attacks and sky-high prices.

    Persian Gulf oil exports surpass pre-war high as market adapts to Iran’s attacks
    New York PostRightAll right-leaning headlines

The words they chose

Language to notice

Words that carry a judgement beyond the facts. Tap a highlighted word anywhere on the page to see why.

  • Left1

    Defy

  • Center0

    No loaded words in its own voice.

  • Right1

    rushed through

In the outlets’ own words

  • Loaded verb

    DefyMore neutral: Continue despite

    The verb presents the flows as resisting attacks, which goes beyond the reported shipment data.

    Middle East Oil Flows Near Prewar Levels Defy Hormuz Attacks

    Used byBloomberg (Left)

  • Loaded verb

    rushed throughMore neutral: passed through

    The verb adds a sense of haste and urgency that the shipment data does not establish.

    Oil rushed through the Strait of Hormuz, Gulf pipelines and other alternative routes last week to…

    Used byNew York Post (Right)

Words quoted from someone else (1)Hide the quoted words

Loaded words that outlets reported someone else saying. They show what was said, not how the outlet chose to say it.

  • Sensational language

    Quoted

    record numberMore neutral: large number

    The word "record" implies a comparison with past periods that the excerpt does not document.

    …levels, with more than 24 million barrels flowing through every day despite a record number of Iranian attacks, analysts said.

    Quoted byNew York Post (Right)

    These are analysts’s words. The outlets are reporting them.

See the full language guide

See for yourself

Side by side

What each side leads with and what it leaves out. Open a side to read its headlines.

From the left

1 outlet

Leads with

  • flows holding up despite attacks
  • Iranian attacks on merchant ships
  • volatile loadings in convoys

Leaves out

  • the 14 million barrels a day Strait transit figure
  • the count of at least 30 ships attacked in October

Reported by other sides, not found in this side’s coverage.

See the headline from the leftHide the headlines
  • BloombergLeft

    Middle East Oil Flows Near Prewar Levels Loaded verb“Defy”The verb presents the flows as resisting attacks, which goes beyond the reported shipment data.More neutral: Continue despiteDisagree with this highlight? Hormuz Attacks

    Oil shipments from the Middle East are showing little sign of buckling in the face of Iran’s more frequent and damaging attacks on merchant ships in the region.

    Read at Bloomberg (opens in a new tab)

From the center

2 outlets

Leads with

  • return to prewar export levels
  • alternative shipping routes
  • fragile recovery and oil prices

Leaves out

  • Iranian attacks on merchant ships

Reported by other sides, not found in this side’s coverage.

See the 2 headlines from the centerHide the headlines
  • MarketWatchCenter

    Oil is now flowing out of the Persian Gulf like before the Iran war. Why prices may still not come down anytime soon.

    Oil flows out of the Persian Gulf in October nearly returned to levels seen before the start of the Iran war, but traders remain wary about a fragile recovery.

    Read at MarketWatch (opens in a new tab)
  • Financial TimesCenter

    Middle East oil exports climb back to prewar levels

    Daily shipments from Gulf producers average 24.6mn, above 23.3mn before conflict, as ships use alternative routes

    Read at Financial Times (opens in a new tab)

From the right

2 outlets

Leads with

  • exports surpass pre-war high
  • record number of Iranian attacks
  • market adapts despite attacks

Leaves out

  • October-to-date averages remaining below prewar levels

Reported by other sides, not found in this side’s coverage.

See the 2 headlines from the rightHide the headlines
  • Breitbart NewsFar Right

    Oil Flows Return to Pre-War Levels Despite Iran’s Resurgent Hormuz Terrorism

    Data released by maritime tracking agency Kpler on Wednesday showed that oil exports have reached, and even surpassed, pre-war levels despite resurgent terror attacks by Iran on commercial vessels in the Strait of Hormuz.

    Read at Breitbart News (opens in a new tab)
  • New York PostRight

    Persian Gulf oil exports surpass pre-war high as market adapts to Iran’s attacks

    Oil exports in the Persian Gulf have exceeded pre-war levels, with more than 24 million barrels flowing through every day despite a Sensational language“record number”The word "record" implies a comparison with past periods that the excerpt does not document.More neutral: large numberThese are analysts’s words. The outlet is reporting them.Disagree with this highlight? of Iranian attacks, analysts said.

    Read at New York Post (opens in a new tab)

Articles you open from here build My Mix, a private picture of how your reading spreads across the spectrum, kept on this device. What is My Mix?

The left is Far Left and Left together. The right is Right and Far Right together. Every outlet keeps its own five-point rating.

Who reported it when

How the coverage built up

  • Left

    1 hr 58 min later

    Its first report, Oct 21, 9:59 AM EDT

  • Center

    First to report

    Financial Times, Oct 21, 8:01 AM EDT

  • Right

    9 hr 23 min later

    Its first report, Oct 21, 5:25 PM EDT

See the order the outlets reported inHide the order
  1. Financial TimesCenterOct 21, 8:01 AM EDT
  2. BloombergLeftOct 21, 9:59 AM EDT
  3. MarketWatchCenterOct 21, 5:14 PM EDT
  4. New York PostRightOct 21, 5:25 PM EDT
  5. Breitbart NewsFar RightOct 21, 6:22 PM EDT

Times are the ones the outlets published in their own feeds, in Eastern time. Opinion is left out.

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