Abstract
The Strait of Hormuz is the world’s premier oil transportation choke point, and it seems worthwhile to recite the details that make it so strategic. The Strait of Hormuz is a body of water 600 miles long that provides the only water outlet for the Persian Gulf. The strait lies between Iran and Oman and several of the United Arab Emirates. The Persian Gulf countries of Saudi Arabia, Iran, Iraq, Kuwait, Qatar, the UAE, and Bahrain exported 18.2 million b/d in 2006, including 17 million b/d via the strait. EIA projects Persian Gulf oil production to grow moderately from 23 million b/d in 2006, reaching 26 million b/d by 2015, nearly 30 million b/d by 2020, and more than 38 million bid by 2030.