The 7 Most Important Oil Chokepoints In The World

REUTERS/Miguel Adorno

Polaris, an Argentine oil tanker, burns after colliding with another ship on the Paraguay River near the port of Villeta August 12, 2011. All 17 crew members from both ships were rescued, according to local media.

Chaos in Egypt has some watchers worried that we could eventually see trouble in the Suez Canal, a vital channel for trade and one of the most important oil chokepoints in the world.

"About half of the world's total oil production of nearly 90 million barrels per day is transported over water," write US Funds analysts.

At some point, almost all of this seaborne oil passes through one of seven chokepoints, or a narrow body of water.

At these chokepoints, oil tankers face various risks ranging from heavy traffic to piracy.  Any disruption could lead to volatility in oil prices.

US Funds recently took a close look at these seven chokepoints.  We highlight some of their findings here.