There’s one underlying reason that so many oil tankers and liquefied natural gas (LNG) cargoes pass through the strait, and that Middle East conflict shakes global energy markets. That reason is a geological one: an extraordinary concentration of oil and gas accumulations.

The United States is pumping more oil than any country in world history. Without all that crude, Americans could already be paying $4 or even $5 a gallon for gasoline, making the energy spike caused by the war with Iran even more painful.