Middle Eastern producers use 'dark' tankers with US Navy backup
Oil prices are staying below $100 a barrel, thanks to some stealthy moves by Middle Eastern producers.
Faced with Iranian drone threats in the Persian Gulf, oil companies from Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Qatar, and the U.A.E. are sending their oil on "dark" tankers, ships that turn off tracking devices and quietly move crude through risky waters with US Navy backup.
Dark oil handoffs 1,514 since March
These "dark" tankers hand off oil to other ships in the Gulf of Oman before heading back for more.
Since March 1, 2026, there have been 1,514 of these sneaky crossings.
Producers are also rerouting millions of barrels daily through pipelines and safer routes to avoid chokepoints like the Strait of Hormuz.
Plus, extra oil from Brazil, Guyana, Venezuela, and the US is helping keep global prices stable, even as tensions rise in the region.