Price caps, rationing and stockpiling: Alarm swells over oil disruptions
But accessing petroleum reserves is easier said than done, according to June Goh, a Singapore-based oil market analyst at Sparta, a commodities data firm. Reserves may not be easily retrieved, and it is challenging to get fuel to refiners before existing inventory runs out, she said.
The New York Times, March 9, 2026 – Rising oil prices and supply disruptions from the Middle East conflict are forcing Asian governments to intervene to manage shortages and protect consumers. Measures include fuel price caps, rationing, stockpile releases, and demand reduction policies such as four-day work weeks. With the Strait of Hormuz largely closed, countries across the region are scrambling to secure supplies and limit the economic impact of higher energy costs.
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