Iran may run out of oil storage within weeks under US blockade pressure

The United States' 'blockade' of Iranian ports is proving remarkably effective, according to Western intelligence sources speaking to The Jerusalem Post. With Iranian oil tankers, which previously handled 85% of the country's exports, unable to leave port, Iran is rapidly filling its storage facilities.

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The blockade is working to perfection; there is no economic trade going into or out of Iran.

Estimates suggest Iran has between 15 and 60 days of storage capacity remaining. This critical situation forces Tehran into difficult decisions that could inflict significant, long-lasting economic damage. The effectiveness of the blockade is such that a US official declared, 'there is no economic trade going into or out of Iran.'

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There’s onshore storage, and then there’s floating storage on vessels.

While some Iranian tankers are reportedly attempting to evade sanctions by disguising their AIS signals, the overall pressure is mounting. The prospect of Iran being forced to shut down oil wells is a stark one. As strategic consultant Eyal Hashkes notes, shutting down wells for extended periods can make them difficult to restart, potentially taking years of rehabilitation. This highlights the severe economic consequences of the ongoing US pressure campaign.

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There is a common practice of not storing oil in tankers older than 25 years to avoid degrading the quality of the oil. The unanswered question is how far Iran is willing to go in using such vessels, and that will affect how many days of storage capacity it actually has left.