Tensions between the U.S. and Iran have escalated, with both sides attacking each other's energy infrastructure. Notably, key Iranian natural gas facilities have been targeted, leading to a sharp overnight surge in crude oil prices. During today's daytime session, the main LPG (Dorian LPG) futures contract hit the daily limit-up, approaching the significant 6,400 level. China's LPG market is highly dependent on imports, and Iran is its largest LPG supplier. Earlier concerns about supply disruptions arose from the closure of the Strait of Hormuz, which hampered transportation. The current severe threats to the security of crude oil and natural gas facilities are driving short-term sentiment, pushing LPG prices higher. Market participants are closely watching for ripple effects across the entire energy sector.
The U.S.-Iran conflict has entered a new phase, directly impacting the security of energy infrastructure. On the 18th local time, Iraq's Ministry of Electricity announced a complete halt to natural gas supplies from Iran. According to reports from Iran on the 18th, some petrochemical facilities in the South Pars and Asaluyeh regions of Iran's Bushehr Province were attacked by the U.S. and Israel. Subsequently, reports emerged that the South Pars phases 3 to 6 gas refineries were targeted by U.S. and Israeli drones. Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps issued an urgent warning, stating that oil facilities in Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, and Qatar are now "legitimate targets." Israel claimed its defense forces struck Iran's "largest natural gas facility" located in Bushehr, southern Iran, a facility responsible for processing 40% of Iran's natural gas. An Israeli official stated the attack was coordinated with the United States. Risks in the energy market are now spreading further, impacting the security of crude oil facilities. This will directly affect supply, consequently influencing raw materials for the chemical industry chain. Therefore, the transmission of price pressures from raw materials to downstream products continues, driving a gradual upward shift in the overall sector's price center.
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