The collapse of the US-Iran ceasefire in early July has changed the conversation in oil company boardrooms. One of the Mideast conflict's biggest surprises has been the speed with which production returned when export routes briefly reopened. TotalEnergies CEO Patrick Pouyanne said the company's Gulf production rebounded rapidly during the late-June ceasefire, with Abu Dhabi assets returning almost to normal within days. The lesson, he argued, is that restoring production is relatively straightforward. The industry's objective is no longer simply restoring production after disruptions, but ensuring crude can continue reaching customers during them.