U.S. Gulf Coast (USGC) crude oil exports surged in August to average 3.9 MMb/d (far right of bar chart below), the highest monthly average since February 2025. Shipments rebounded strongly month-on-month, with August volumes exceeding July by more than 700 Mb/d, reflecting a resurgence in Asia-Pacific (APAC) buying interest following a period of weaker demand, as discussed in our Crude Voyager.
Export growth was recorded across all major Gulf Coast loading hubs. Houston registered the largest jump, increasing 52% month-on-month, positioning the port as the primary growth driver in August. Despite the strong August performance, cumulative volumes remain below prior-year levels. As of August 31, 2025 the year-to-date (YTD) average sat just above 3.7 MMb/d, 200 Mb/d below the average for the same period in 2024.
