Gulf oil exporters are accelerating pipeline, storage and other bypass projects to reduce dependence on the Strait of Hormuz after the war in Iran sharply disrupted the region’s main crude export route. Before the United States and Israel began military strikes on Iran on February 28, about 20 million barrels of crude a day moved through the strait, according to the older report. Flows later fell to about 3.7 million barrels a day as of last week in that report, while newer private data from Kpler showed 2.77 million barrels a day in the week beginning July 27 and 1.74 million barrels a day in the week beginning August 3. US Energy Secretary Chris Wright said the seven-day average through Hormuz had recovered to about 9 million barrels a day and that total Middle East crude flows, including pipelines and export facilities, were about 15 million barrels a day, but Kpler and LSEG estimates remained materially lower. The divergence underscores both uncertainty over the pace of recovery and the Gulf’s longer-term push to build infrastructure that can bypass the chokepoint.