Rubio urges permanent shift away from Hormuz, experts warn of huge hurdles

Secretary of State Marco Rubio suggested a lasting move of oil and gas flows outside the Strait of Hormuz, but analysts say logistical and security challenges make the idea unrealistic in the near term.

Marco Rubio told one outlet that the world must pursue a permanent realignment of energy transit to bypass the Strait of Hormuz, which moves roughly one-fifth of the planet’s oil and LNG supplies. The U.S. Energy Information Administration estimates the waterway handles about 20 million barrels of oil daily, underscoring its strategic importance. Economic researcher Ahmed Abu Qamar described Rubio’s remarks as a long-term vision, emphasizing that decades and billions of dollars would be needed to cut reliance on Hormuz, especially for natural gas.

Saudi Arabia’s East-West Pipeline and the UAE’s Abu Dhabi Crude Oil Pipeline together provide under ten million barrels per day, far short of the strait’s flow, and would shift risk to the Bab al-Mandeb, which faces Houthi threats. Analysts like George Voloshin warn that pipelines are static, high-value targets vulnerable to drones and missiles, and Iran could disrupt them. Consequently, while limited diversification is underway, fully escaping Hormuz’s geographic constraints remains unlikely.