Insight
Middle East Conflict: what it means for Oilfield Services
*Please note that this report only includes an Excel data file if this is indicated in "What's included" below
Report summary
The conflict has created a paradox for the sector. Surging oil prices historically drive increased activity and improved margins for Oilfield Services (OFS) providers. However, in the near-term at least, operators have limited flexibility to ramp up and lower activity in the Middle East more than offsets margin gains in categories such as interventions. In the Arabian/Persian Gulf region, costs to OFS have risen across equipment, services, shipping, insurance and risk premiums. Contractors are revising project bids and ongoing activity is impacted by war price premiums. These costs are filtering through to higher operator prices. In the rest of the world, reduced trade flows and infrastructure damage have raised OFS costs, particularly for commodities linked to refined products. These costs affect mostly operating expenses incurred by operators, but we also expect capital expenses to become incrementally impacted if the conflict continues.
Table of contents
- Executive Summary
- Near-term impacts in the Persian Gulf
- OFS supply chain impacts
-
OFS financial impacts
- Well services
- Offshore drillers
- Others
- Longer-term OFS disruption
- New project impact
- Capital allocation unlikely to shift meaningfully
- No strategic shift away from the Middle East
- Could we see a global supply response and what would it require from OFS?
- Impact of the conflict on OFS costs outside of the Persian Gulf
Tables and charts
This report includes the following images and tables:
-
Production cuts for Gulf producers as of 27 April (exc. Iran)Exports from Gulf countries as of 30 AprilWar costs impacts on upstream categories Jan'26 to Apr'26*
What's included
This report contains:
Other reports you may be interested in
Insight
Webinar: Middle East conflict and implications for upstream supply and corporate strategies - June 2026
Watch the recording of our 15 June webinar on the Middle East conflict's imlplications for upstream supply and corporate strategies
$1,350
Insight
2026 Metals and Mining at half time: more fragile than it looks, more resilient than it feels
2026 Metals and mining at half time: more fragile than it looks, more resilient than it feels. Our mid-year review unpacks what comes next.
$1,050
Country Report
Global copper mine cost summary
Click through to access a wealth of data from Wood Mackenzie's latest analysis of global copper mining sector.
$6,750
