TEHRAN- The global oil market faces a prolonged recovery following the loss of approximately one billion barrels of crude over the past two months, the CEO of Saudi Aramco has warned. Even if key shipping routes are reopened, energy markets will take time to stabilize, according to a Reuters report published on Sunday.

Amin Nasser, CEO of the world’s largest oil producer, delivered the cautionary assessment as shipping disruptions continue to choke traffic through the Strait of Hormuz. “Reopening routes is not the same as normalizing a market that has been deprived of about one billion barrels of oil,” Nasser told Reuters. He added that years of underinvestment have compounded the strain on already-low global inventories.

The supply squeeze has been sharply intensified by Iran’s blockade of the Strait of Hormuz, which has curtailed shipping and driven prices higher following the U.S.-Israeli war.

Industry analysts warn that replacing the lost barrel volume could take months, extending price volatility and supply challenges for major importers.

Aramco CEO Amin Nasser’s warning underscores a harsh reality: a one-billion-barrel shortfall cannot be undone overnight. With global inventories already depleted by years of underinvestment, even the resumption of normal shipping flows would leave markets fragile and prices volatile for months to come. 

As the Iran war continues to disrupt one of the world’s most critical energy chokepoints, major importers—particularly in Asia—must brace for prolonged uncertainty. 

The crisis serves as a stark reminder that in today’s tightly balanced oil market, recovery is measured not in days, but in billions of barrels lost.