Kuwait
net exporterAnswer
Kuwait exports about 1.3 million barrels of crude a day. The largest buyers are China (29%), South Korea (18%) and India (12%).
Data: 2025 annual averages
Key figures
- Crude oil exports, barrels per day
- 1.3 million
- Largest buyer
- China · 29%
- Real risk
- Strait of Hormuz · 70%
Where does Kuwait's oil go?
| Buyer | share | thousand b/d |
|---|---|---|
| China | 29% | 382 |
| South Korea | 18% | 240 |
| India | 12% | 165 |
| Japan | 11% | 149 |
| other destinations (not on the map) | 30% | 394 |
UN Comtrade, JODI-Oil · 2025
Which chokepoints does Kuwait's oil pass through?
The main maritime chokepoints on the way are Strait of Hormuz (70% of exports) and Strait of Malacca (58% of exports).
- Strait of Hormuz70% of exports · 936
- Strait of Malacca58% of exports · 771
Real risk: Strait of Hormuz – 70% of exports this way. Iran has kept the strait closed since 28 February 2026 – only some ships pass, under US escort. Before that it had repeatedly threatened closure; tankers were attacked in 2019 and 2024.
UN Comtrade · 2025
How much crude oil does Kuwait export?
Produces 2.5 million barrels a day. Uses 28% at home and sells 1.3 million (72%) abroad – one supertanker every 2 days.
JODI-Oil · 2025
Kuwait: how did the 2026 oil crisis affect supplies and prices?
- February 28, 2026Iran closes the Strait of HormuzKuwait: 936 thousand barrels a day (70% of exports) with no way throughWikipedia: 2026 Strait of Hormuz crisis
- March 11, 2026IEA countries release 400 million barrels from emergency stocksKuwait: 936 thousand barrels a day (70% of exports) with no way throughIEA, 11 Mar 2026
- September 11, 2026Drones hit Saudi Arabia's East-West pipeline – the main route around HormuzKuwait: 936 thousand barrels a day (70% of exports) with no way throughCNBC, 14 Sept 2026
- September 28, 2026The East-West pipeline runs again, at lower capacityKuwait: 936 thousand barrels a day (70% of exports) with no way throughwnp.pl, 28 Sept 2026
Effect on supplies: model of oil routes (2025 flows), stranded = no sea route left on that day.
Main terminal: Mina al-Ahmadi
Sources
- UN Comtrade – crude oil imports by country of origin (HS 2709), as reported by the importing country · 2025
- JODI-Oil – national crude oil production, imports and exports · 2025
- U.S. EIA – crude oil and petroleum products passing through maritime chokepoints · 2023
Related questions
Download the data
CSV and JSON, CC BY 4.0 – credit “chokepoints.io” with a link. Volumes in thousand barrels per day, 2025 annual averages.
Countries (CSV)Trade routes (CSV)Chokepoints (CSV)Everything (JSON)DOI 10.5281/zenodo.23267750 (Zenodo)