Iran war puts at risk key pipelines, terminals and refineries that supply the world with oil and gas

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FRANKFURT, Germany (AP) — The Iran war threatens some of the world's most critical oil and gas infrastructure — the pipelines, refineries, and shipping terminals that keep energy flowing from the countries around the Persian Gulf to the global economy.

Strikes by Iranian drones have disrupted operations at some of them, while the risk of Iranian strikes has effectively closed the Strait of Hormuz, the conduit for some 20% of the world's oil and liquefied natural gas. Oil fields in the region have cut back output as storage fills up. Qatar, a major supplier of liquefied natural gas, has shut down its exports as well.

All that has sent prices soaring, raising the cost of everything that needs fuel made from crude: flying, cooking, heating homes, running factories, transporting goods, and farming. International benchmark Brent crude has risen from $72.97 the day before the war started to almost $99 on Thursday.

Here is the key infrastructure that's at risk and why it's important.

The terminal was shut down by state-owned QatarEnergy following a drone strike, dealing a shock to global gas markets since Qatar produces 20% of the world's liquefied natural gas. The company is citing force majeure — in other words, that it's unable to supply its contracted customers due to circumstances beyond its control.

Ras Laffan, the largest LNG export facility in the world according to the company's website, draws gas from the world's largest single gas field and chills it until it is liquid for loading on tankers that take it to customers, primarily in Asia. Gas purchasers in Europe also feel the pinch due to sharply higher gas prices.

Located on the Persian Gulf northeast of Dammam, this is Saudi Aramco's largest refinery and a port capable of accommodating large tankers. It was temporarily shut down after a drone impact caused a fire.

Saudi Aramco operates this pipeline from the Aqaiq oil processing center near the Persian Gulf to the Yanbu port on the Red Sea, allowing exports to avoid the Hormuz chokepoint. The pipeline lacks capacity to fully make up for the Hormuz closure.

A key terminal for oil tankers on the Gulf of Oman, it enables Abu Dhabi to export a significant share of its oil without sending it through the Strait of Hormuz. It was initially disrupted by fighting, but the oil terminal had resumed operations by Friday, according to Lloyd's List shipping industry publication.

“Iran's targeting of oil storage in Fujairah isn't a coincidence; it's attacking one of the potential reroutings of oil that's been trapped in the Persian Gulf,” said Torjborn Soltvedt, principal Middle East analyst at risk intelligence company Verisk Maplecroft.

A tanker terminal that has handled almost all of Iran's roughly 1.6 million barrels per day of prewar crude exports, most of it going to China. Iran has exported 13.7 million barrels since the war started, and “multiple” tankers were seen on satellite imagery Wednesday loading at Kharg, according to TankerTrackers.com maritime intelligence company.

Enables export of Iranian oil without going through the Strait. Limited capacity, but data and analytics firm Kpler reports a tanker loaded 2 million barrels on March 7, the first shipment from the facility since 2024.

Israel's Energy Ministry directed operator Chevron to shut down the field, whose operating platform is 10 kilometers (6 miles) off Dora, due to the security situation. It's the largest natural gas reservoir in the Mediterranean and a key supplier to Egypt. A shutdown during Israel's 12-day war with Iran in June led Egypt to curtail gas supplies to industries including fertilizer producers.

Iraq has cut back output at key fields at Rumaila and West Qurna due to dwindling storage. The Rumaila field is a so-called supergiant, meaning it holds more than a billion barrels in reserves.

Iraq and other Gulf countries are running out of space to put the oil. That could bring long-lasting interruption since once shut down, oil and gas wells may need weeks or months to resume.

Even if the Strait of Hormuz reopens, “it’s going to take time to restart production in some of these fields. It’s not a switch that can be turned on and off,” said Soltvedt. “It’s the same for Qatar in terms of their LNG facility. It will probably take weeks to get some of the facilities up and running again.”

This artificial island 50 kilometers (30 miles) from shore in the Persian Gulf exports oil worth 80% of Iraq’s annual GDP from the country’s oil fields. It has ceased operations, according to Lloyd’s. Two tankers have been hit in Iraqi territorial waters.