US Dismisses Iran’s Ability to Handle Oil Backed Up by Blockade

US Energy Secretary Chris Wright downplayed Iran’s ability to handle a production shutdown if a naval blockade continues to choke off oil exports, adding pressure to the standoff with Tehran.

The Islamic Republic’s oil storage capacity is limited, and its aging fields could be damaged if forced to turn off the taps, Wright told Bloomberg TV. “They’ve got old reservoirs that are low pressure, which means it’s much more destructive if they have to shut in their production.”

Oil and gas production systems require steady flows under pressure from reservoirs to loading points, engineers say. Even without physical damage, the ...