Oil prices soar by 3.5pc after tanker explosions in the Gulf of Oman

First reports of explosions on two super tankers in the Gulf of Oman early Thursday sent oil prices on world markets shooting up by 3.5pc. Prices continued to gain as evidence of a deliberate attack began to emerge. It now appears that the two supertankers were Norwegian-owned; one carried oil loaded at a Saudi terminal and the other. methanol from Abu Dhabi.