Heating oil prices.
Simply compared.Heating oil prices.
Simply compared.

What changed. Saudi Arabia's damaged East-West pipeline could take three to five weeks to repair, two regional officials told the Associated Press. The route lets oil reach the Red Sea without passing through the Strait of Hormuz, where shipping remains restricted. That leaves refineries facing a prolonged supply disruption, even as crude prices fell on Wednesday.

Your next fill. At Fueltool's UK average on Wednesday 16 September, a 1,000-litre fill costs about £1,230 including VAT. That is roughly £200 more than a week ago on the same basis. The increase has continued since Monday's brief, adding to the amount households need to set aside for a refill.

The background. The summer's shortage of refined fuel has not gone away. Refineries in Russia and the Middle East are still struggling with damage and disrupted exports, leaving less diesel and related fuels available. UK heating oil is kerosene and follows the wholesale cost of jet fuel, which is also kerosene-based. The International Energy Agency says stored oil reserves have been falling as countries make up the supply shortfall. Restoring crude deliveries alone would not immediately resolve the pressure on household bills.

What to watch. The first test is how much oil Saudi Arabia can move while pipeline repairs continue; the reported repair estimate does not confirm when normal exports will resume. Wednesday's US report showed distillate fuel stocks rose by 1.6 million barrels, but remained 13% below their five-year average. America also supplies Europe, so whether that recovery continues matters here. Autumn refinery maintenance will limit production as seasonal fuel demand increases.