Important Oil Transit Choke Points in World

This post list down the important oil transit choke points in world. The narrow channels widely used across the global sea routes are called choke points. The chokepoints have a very high volume of oil traded through their narrow straits and are a critical part of Global energy security.

By the volume of the oil transport, Strait of Hormuz which leads out to Persian Gulf and the Strait of Malacca which links the Indian and Pacific Oceans are two of the world’s most strategic chokepoints.Blockage of the choking points can lead to substantial increases in total energy costs, thus affecting the world economy. Here is a brief discussion of the above:

1) Strait of Hormuz

A) Location: Between Iran and Oman
B) Significance: Most important chokepoint; connects Persian Gulf to Gulf of Oman and Arabian Sea

2) Strait of Malacca

A) Location: Between Indonesia, Malaysia, and Singapore
B) Significance: Main shipping channel between Indian and Pacific Oceans

3) Suez Canal

A) Location: Egypt, connecting Mediterranean Sea to Red Sea
B) Significance: Shortcut for oil tankers between Europe and Asia

4) Bab el-Mandeb Strait

A) Location: Between Yemen on the Arabian Peninsula and Djibouti and Eritrea in the Horn of Africa
B) Significance: Connection between the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden

5) Turkish Straits (Bosphorus and Dardanelles)

A) Location: Turkey, connecting Black Sea to Mediterranean Sea
B) Significance: Only maritime exit from Black Sea

6) Panama Canal

A) Location: Panama, connecting Atlantic and Pacific Oceans
B) Significance: Key route for U.S. Gulf Coast to Asian markets

7) Danish Straits

Location: Between Denmark and Sweden
Significance: Only entrance to the Baltic Sea from North Sea

8) SUMED Pipeline

A) Full Name: Suez-Mediterranean Pipeline
B) Location: Egypt. The most important alternative to the Suez Canal is the SUMED Pipeline which runs from the Ain Sukhna terminal on the Gulf of Suez to offshore Sidi Kerir, Alexandria on the Mediterranean Sea.
C) Significance: It is a strategic route for Persian Gulf oil and natural gas shipments to Europe and North America.It transports crude oil from the Red Sea to the Mediterranean Sea.