Iran’s Oil Wells ‘About To Explode’ As Trump Claimed? Can They Be Shut? News18 Digs Deeper

Last Updated:May 03, 2026, 15:04 IST

What calculation was Trump making? Can’t the oil wells just be shut off? Can they really explode? News18 explains

In a recent Fox News interview amid the Iran war, US President Donald Trump said that when Tehran runs out of storage space for oil, its wells will explode as oil keeps coming out of the wells at its own speed, which has to be taken out through pipelines.

What calculation was Trump making? Can’t the oil wells just be shut off? Can they really explode? News18 explains.

TRUMP’S CALCULATION

The US has set up a blockade in the sea around Iran. This means Iran can’t send its oil out by ship. Trump meant that Iran will be forced to give in because its storage tanks are already full. If you block Iran, it can’t export oil, and if it can’t sell oil, its main source of income stops.

Without income, Iran will be forced to negotiate and make a nuclear deal with the US, promising not to make nuclear bombs. It’s clear that if Iran can’t sell oil, its income will be blocked.

WHERE DOES THE OIL COME FROM?

It’s found deep under the ground, trapped beneath thick layers of rock. Think of it like a pressure cooker, with gas and oil under heavy rock acting as the lid. When a well is drilled, it’s like poking a balloon with a pin — the oil comes out under pressure. The well is a deep hole, sometimes 5-10 kilometers down, and oil is squeezed in tiny spaces like water in a sponge.

Machines drill down, pipes are inserted to strengthen the hole, and small holes are made at the bottom to let oil out. Valves are used on top to control the flow. Oil is under heavy pressure because of the weight of the rocks above and the heat and gas below.

When a well is opened, this pressure pushes the oil out, sometimes shooting up like a fountain, as seen in old Hollywood movies. At first, 5-15% of the oil comes out naturally due to this pressure, but as more oil is taken out, the pressure drops.

Iran produces about 3 to 3.2 million barrels of oil daily. As with a balloon, the pressure drops over time, so pumps are used or water and gas are injected to increase pressure and get more oil out. Not all wells have very high pressure; some need more pumping. Many of Iran’s wells are old, so their pressure is lower, but some new ones still have good pressure.

CAN OIL WELLS EXPLODE FROM PRESSURE?

Experts say it’s not true that if a well is shut, it will explode from pressure.

What Trump is saying isn’t supported by other experts. Shutting wells can cause some problems, like water getting in or less oil coming out when restarted, and restarting costs money. But experts don’t believe the wells will explode or be destroyed.

In 2019-2020, when Iran faced sanctions, it had to reduce oil production but later restarted without any wells exploding. Iran produces about 3 to 3.2 million barrels of oil daily and needs 1.8 to 2 million barrels for its own use, leaving about 1 to 1.2 million barrels for export.

The US has banned others from buying Iranian oil, but it’s believed Iran secretly exports oil using ‘shadow fleet’ tankers with foreign flags or hidden locations, mainly to China and paid in Chinese currency to avoid US detection.

When Iran closed the Strait of Hormuz to pressure the world, the US set up a blockade outside the strait, stopping Iran’s tankers, including the shadow fleet. Now, Iran has to store the unsold oil. Iran has storage tanks for about 86 million barrels, and it’s estimated that two-thirds are already full. Iran’s oil tankers at sea can store another 120-130 million barrels.

Altogether, Iran has enough storage for three to four more weeks, so it can keep producing and storing oil through May.

KEY FAQs

Are Tehran’s oil wells really about to explode?

No. There is no technical or verified evidence that Iran’s oil wells are “about to explode". Experts say oil systems can be damaged or shut down, but they do not spontaneously explode due to sanctions or blockades.

Why did Trump say this?

The statement is part of political rhetoric during escalation of tensions. It refers to pressure on Iran’s oil exports via the Strait of Hormuz, not literal explosions.

What is actually happening to Iran’s oil sector?

The real issues are export disruptions due to conflict/blockade, storage and logistics stress, damage from targeted strikes on facilities in some areas. But even severe disruption leads to production cuts or shutdowns — not explosions.

With agency inputs

News explainers Iran’s Oil Wells ‘About To Explode’ As Trump Claimed? Can They Be Shut? News18 Digs Deeper

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