The global oil market is currently experiencing significant strain as the usual mechanisms to control petroleum prices are being exhausted. This is leading to a potential surge in energy costs for consumers across the globe.
Photographs from September 28 show signs displaying gas and diesel prices along Interstate 5 in Williams, California. These images highlight the escalating costs that many are now facing.
Authors Joshua Busby and Greg Pollock from The Conversation emphasize that the energy situation could worsen. The Conversation, a nonprofit news organization, aims to provide readers with factual analysis from trusted researchers and scientists.
The Strait of Hormuz, typically vital for oil transit from the Middle East, is seeing traffic levels reduced to below 15% of what they were before recent conflicts. This has had a substantial impact on oil prices, which rose from $65 a barrel prior to the conflict in Iran in February 2026 to over $100 a barrel by mid-September.

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