The US is filling the Middle East oil gap, and Asian oil tankers are rushing to the US.

According to a report by the Financial Times on April 9th, as Asian customers scramble to find alternatives to Middle Eastern oil supplies disrupted by the Iran war, U.S. crude oil exports are expected to hit a record high in April. Oil research firm Kpler estimates that U.S. exports this month will jump nearly a third from 3.9 million barrels per day in March to 5.2 million barrels per day. Demand from Asian customers is expected to grow by 82%, reaching 2.5 million barrels per day. Data shows that 68 empty tankers are currently en route to the United States, compared to 24 the week before the outbreak of the war on February 28th. Last year's average was 27. The surge in exports highlights the growing importance of the United States as a global "swing supplier," but competition from Asia could also push up domestic prices in the U.S., deepening concerns about a new round of inflation triggered by Trump's Iran war. The Trump administration currently does not intend to ban oil exports. Analysts believe that if exports are banned, U.S. oil will be unable to be sold and will simply pile up domestically; refineries, fearing unsold stock, will also reduce production. However, some warn that the White House might change its mind if the chaos in the Middle East caused by the war continues to drive up fuel costs as the November midterm elections approach.