Diesel supplies come into focus as inventories drop
September 18, 2026
The level of tension in the Middle East appears to be a little calmer today. The US said that Iranian officials will be permitted to travel to New York for the United Nations general assembly, which let’s hope is a good thing. Also helping to ease current environments is the news that China’s Xi Jinping made a phone call to Iran and asked them talk to the Houthi to reduce their pressure on Saudi Arabian oil infrastructure. This all come prior to the meeting between Present Trump and China’s President Xi next week. This could help Red Sea exports.
Headlines have been full of the news about a diesel export ban here in the US, but other White House members shut this down quickly. As mentioned yesterday diesel supplies are on the lower end of their average range for this time of year. Canada and Europe have maintenance taking place on several of their refineries, and in the US harvest season has arrived with an uptick in demand and this has put pressure on diesel inventories and availability. The Midwest is experiencing some tightness, which has also been impacted by the ongoing conflicts and the issues surrounding the Middle East.
The market remains very volatile, and any news headline could move prices so continue to be diligent and cautious.