New Delhi, Nov. 2 -- The Middle East energy shock is pushing fuel costs in Asia to more than double pre-war levels, as disruptions to energy supplies shift from crude oil to refining and shipping bottlenecks, according to a report by BlackRock.

The report said supply buffers, including rerouted shipments, inventories and strategic reserves, had helped absorb the initial disruption in crude supplies. However, renewed attacks targeting energy infrastructure and shipping routes in the Gulf are testing these buffers, while supply constraints are increasingly affecting downstream fuel markets.

"Now scarcity has shifted downstream," BlackRock said, noting that refining and shipping bottlenecks have pushed up fuel costs even as crude supplies ...