Refined Products, Crude Oil

June 25, 2026

Choke point geopolitics: Implications for Asia's downstream and upstream sectors

HIGHLIGHTS

Asia reassesses Middle East crude reliance

Supply shock reshapes refining economics

Conflict spurs domestic oil investment push

Asia's energy security has always rested on a difficult bargain -- deep reliance on Middle Eastern crude in exchange for scale, proximity and established commercial relationships. The recent conflict tested that bargain in real time, forcing refiners, traders and governments to reroute supply, reassess risk and confront the true cost of dependence. As risk premiums fade and markets move from crisis response to postwar recalibration, the bigger question is no longer just where the next cargo comes from -- it is whether Asia can build a more resilient energy supply system. In this episode of the Platts Oil Markets podcast by S&P Global Energy, Asia Energy Editor Sambit Mohanty discusses with Calvin Lee, head of Asia content at Platts, and Nick Sharma, head of global upstream insights at CERA, how the supply shock is reshaping Asia's crude sourcing and refining economics, as well as building a case for more investment in domestic oil and gas production.

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