US imports of Saudi Arabian crude oil fell to zero in July, marking the first time in 40 years that no barrels from the kingdom have entered the United States in a single month.
The complete halt in flows comes as escalating conflict between the US and Iran has severely disrupted shipping lanes in the Persian Gulf, effectively shutting down regional crude exports.
According to Bloomberg, the disruption has forced US refiners to seek alternative sources, a stark reversal from earlier this year when they were purchasing more than 600,000 barrels per day from Saudi Arabia.
This supply shock highlights the fragility of global energy logistics amid geopolitical instability.
The zero-import figure follows a similar trend with Iraqi crude, which has also been absent from US imports for five consecutive weeks, according to recent EIA data.
With diplomatic efforts to de-escalate tensions showing mixed results, the risk of prolonged supply disruptions remains elevated for global energy markets.