Europe could face a severe energy crunch before winter if disruptions in the Strait of Hormuz continue for another one to three months, raising the prospect of Africa’s largest oil and gas producers becoming increasingly critical to European and Asian energy security.
The warning came from executives at Norwegian energy giant Equinor, who said prolonged shipping disruptions through the strategic waterway could leave Europe struggling to refill depleted natural gas reserves ahead of winter.
The concerns are intensifying as tensions in the Middle East continue to threaten one of the world’s most important energy chokepoints.
Iran has recently hardened its rhetoric around the Strait of Hormuz after announcing tighter oversight measures through its newly created Persian Gulf Strait Authority, signalling greater control over maritime transit in the region.
The Strait of Hormuz remains one of the world’s busiest oil and LNG shipping routes, carrying nearly a fifth of global seaborne oil and large volumes of liquefied natural gas exports from Gulf producers including Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates.
