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Hormuz traffic down to 3 vessels: Windward
Hormuz traffic down to 3 vessels: Windward
New York, 4 September (Argus) — Vessel traffic through the strait of Hormuz fell to its lowest level in months on Thursday following an uptick in military exchanges between the US and Iran in the first half of the week. Only three vessels crossed the strait on Thursday, with two inbound transits on the Iranian-controlled northern lane and one outbound transit on US-assisted southern lane, according to maritime security firm Windward. That is one-third of the prior day levels and about 2pc of its pre-war baseline of 135 vessels daily. US vice president JD Vance's assertion that 15mn bl of crude made it through the strait of Hormuz on Thursday thanks to US support are not corroborated by vessel traffic data reviewed by Argus . The southern US-assisted transit lane along the coast of Oman remains the highest risk corridor accounting for 21 out of 24 projectile strike incidents reported since 6 July, according to the UK Maritime Trade Organisation's Operation Centre. The US has started to target Iranian government-owned tankers as direct retaliation for Iranian attacks on the tankers Senegal Prosperity and Sidr , according to Windward, confirming that the US struck two empty Iranian tankers as part of their 1 September strikes. By Charlotte Bawol and Delfina Marchese Send comments and request more information at feedback@argusmedia.com Copyright © 2026. Argus Media group . All rights reserved.
Mexico cracks down on illicit fuel trade: President
Mexico cracks down on illicit fuel trade: President
Mexico City, 4 September (Argus) — Mexico seized 37.1mn liters (233,350 bl) of illicit fuel and identified nearly 2,000 illegal pipeline taps for the 10 months through June this year, President Claudia Sheinbaum's administration said in its second annual report to the nation. The crackdown included more than 8,000 inspections, 159 blocked irregular import operations and 118 criminal cases, combining fuel traceability, tax enforcement, security operations and technological monitoring, from 1 September 2025 through 30 June this year. Authorities also prevented 1,419 attempted hydrocarbon thefts and seized 1,938 illegal pipeline taps, 96 tank trucks, 91 railcars, 505 light vehicles and one vessel. Authorities made 76 arrests linked to illicit fuel activities over the period. The current strategy builds on an anti-fuel theft campaign launched by former president Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador in December 2018. His government deployed the armed forces to state-owned Pemex facilities and closed vulnerable pipelines in an effort largely focused on physical fuel theft. Sheinbaum's administration has broadened the response to include customs fraud, tax evasion, fuel traceability and financial networks. Fuel theft and smuggling have become a source of revenue for Mexican drug cartels, extending Mexico's long-running fight against organized crime into the energy sector. The US Treasury said in June that the Jalisco and Sinaloa cartel networks use shell companies, falsified customs documents and false invoices to avoid Mexican fuel-import taxes. The proceeds help finance drug trafficking and corruption. Authorities monitored 47,401 gasoline and diesel transport units and 33,512 LPG units using QR codes, according to the second report. They also detected 3,109 cases of incorrect tariff classification involving oil products. This form of fiscal fuel smuggling involves importing gasoline or diesel under categories such as lubricants or additives, allowing importers to evade the fuel excise tax and fuel-specific import requirements. The government said correcting the classifications helped strengthen tax collection. The annual report also covers the government's security strategy, anti-corruption efforts, social programs, infrastructure, energy and environmental policy Tax authority SAT said on 2 September that it has revoked the ability of 2,205 fuel-trading companies to issue invoices from October 2024 to August 2026 because they were selling fuel illegally. SAT said the measure is part of efforts to combat tax evasion and smuggling. The government plans to further strengthen fiscal controls through the 2027 economic package. Sheinbaum said on Thursday that the package will propose tracking IEPS payments on fuel from import through distribution and final sale, helping authorities identify tax evasion linked to fiscal fuel theft. The proposal would not change the tax rate, and SAT is developing the mechanism. State-owned Pemex and the finance ministry's financial intelligence unit UIF signed an information-sharing agreement on 27 August aimed at detecting money laundering, corruption, fraud and hydrocarbon theft. The agreement allows Pemex to request financial intelligence when screening prospective contractors or clients. The UIF will also have access to Pemex information to identify potential financial and corporate risks. The agreement adds financial intelligence and contractor screening to a strategy that increasingly combines physical enforcement with customs controls, fuel traceability and monitoring across Mexico's fuel supply chain. By Adriana Alarcón Send comments and request more information at feedback@argusmedia.com Copyright © 2026. Argus Media group . All rights reserved.
Hormuz traffic at 9 vessels: Update
Hormuz traffic at 9 vessels: Update
New York, 3 September (Argus) — A total of nine vessels crossed the strait of Hormuz on Wednesday, with four inbound and five outbound transits, data from maritime security firm Windward shows. Of the inbound transits, one was a tanker on the US-assisted southern lane, while two of the five outbound ships were on the southern lane. The remaining transits took place on the Iranian-controlled northern lane. Wednesday's transits are up by five vessels from the day before, but still far below the pre-war average of around 135 vessels daily. Vessel traffic on Wednesday stood at around 6.5pc of traffic levels prior to the joint US-Israeli attack on Iran on 28 February. The US Central Command assisted 44 transits through the strait of Hormuz between 1-2 September, according to data posted Thursday by the UK Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) Centre. The figure could not be corroborated by any available satellite or vessel tracking information reviewed by Argus . US President Donald Trump continues to claim large amounts of crude is making it through the strait of Hormuz, posting a graphic titled "Hormuz Oil Volumes are BACK!" on social media Thursday. The graphic claims that "now" 18mn b/d of crude are exiting the strait of Hormuz, prior to "before", when volumes were around 20mn b/d. Vice president JD Vance echoed Trump's claims, stating that 15mn bl of crude exited the strait of Hormuz overnight at a White House press briefing on Thursday. There have been some days where combined flows from the Mideast Gulf, including loadings from ports in the UAE and Oman, reached close to 18mn b/d, such as on 9 August, per data from vessel information firm TankerTrackers.com. But the daily average for flows through the strait remains far below pre-war levels. As of 2 September, over the prior 28 complete days 7.54mn b/d exited the Mideast Gulf, according to TankerTrackers.com, including 5.04mn b/d through the strait of Hormuz. The rate for a very large crude carrier to move crude from the Mideast Gulf through Hormuz to Asia-Pacific rose to an all-time high of $19.39/bl on 2 September, a $11.69/bl premium over the route that bypasses Hormuz and starts in the Gulf of Oman, Argus data shows. By Charlotte Bawol Send comments and request more information at feedback@argusmedia.com Copyright © 2026. Argus Media group . All rights reserved.
California crude producers weigh 2027 exports
California crude producers weigh 2027 exports
Houston, 3 September (Argus) — Oil producers in California are exploring plans to export locally produced heavy sour crude overseas starting in 2027, as regional refinery closures weigh on domestic demand and the state tries to expand oil production. Discussions center on moving heavy sour San Joaquin Valley (SJV) crude along the 265-mile San Pablo pipeline system north to San Francisco and south to Los Angeles for loading onto waterborne tankers, according to traders and in-state producers. Draft restrictions at both ports would likely restrict loadings to partially-full Aframax or Panamax tankers, according to one trading source. Producers are aiming to ship the first cargo in the first quarter of 2027, with potential destinations being Asia-Pacific and Washington state, if the Jones Act waiver is maintained, according to market sources. No California crude has been exported via ship since at least 2016, according to Vortexa data, when records began. Crude production in California has been in a long term decline, with production more than halving from its 2016 average to about 245,000 b/d for the first half of 2026, according to the Energy Information Administration (EIA). Around 80pc of this crude is SJV grade produced in central California. SJV's gravity is around 14° API and has a Total Acid Number (TAN) of 3.63, according to consultancy Haverly Systems' assay library. This is heavier and over double the TAN of potential rival Canadian heavy crudes exported out of the 890,000 b/d Trans Mountain system. California has lost about 17pc of its refining capacity since October 2025 following the closures of Phillips 66's 139,000 b/d Los Angeles refinery and Valero's 145,000 b/d Benicia complex. This has prompted other refiners, including PBF Energy and Marathon Petroleum, to increase runs of Californian crude, attracted by weaker differentials and improved economics. State officials have tried to counter the refinery shutdowns by encouraging more local oil production. Earlier this year the state approved about 380 onshore oil drilling permits in Kern County, in a bid to stabilize fuel supply and prevent more refinery closures . The new drilling permits have yet to lead to a rise in output, but if it does rise it will meet a weaker demand outlook in California due to the refinery closures and the long-held view that California is "not refiner friendly" according to industry sources. This long-term outlook is prompting the look at future export routes into Asia-Pacific. The San Pablo Bay pipeline system was shut-down earlier this year due in part to the drop in refinery demand. But California Resources Corporation, the largest producer in the state, closed this month on the $63mn purchase of the pipeline system's operator, Crimson Midstream Holdings. By John Cordner, Catherine Rabe and Sarah Tucker Send comments and request more information at feedback@argusmedia.com Copyright © 2026. Argus Media group . All rights reserved.
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