Goff Petroleum, based in Wymondham, delivers kerosene heating oil to homes and businesses across East Anglia and the south east.

But customers who placed orders before the conflict broke out two weeks ago have now been told by the firm that it will not be able to deliver their oil on time unless they pay a higher price to reflect the surging price of oil globally.

Customers say the cost of their heating oil has doubled since the start of the conflict two weeks ago (Image: Goff)

Customers have been offered to either keep their existing order to be delivered this month, but pay an amended price; cancel their order and receive a full refund if they paid in advance; or keep their existing order at the agreed price, which will only be delivered when Goff can purchase fuel at pre-conflict prices.

Customers say the cost of their heating oil is now double the original price.

Rose Levien lives in Heydon, near Reepham, and placed an order with Goff two weeks ago.

"We are a family of five living in a rural area and rely on oil for heating and hot water," she said.

"We are already low, and now with this situation I’ll have to completely turn off our heating and hot water as we simply cannot meet the request of Goff to pay the rate today, which seems extremely unreasonable considering I ordered it over two weeks ago."

A statement on the Goff website reads: "Unfortunately, we are experiencing significant supply problems for kerosene heating oil due to the ongoing war in the Persian Gulf.

"The volatility of the global kerosene market has led to unprecedented price inflation, and shortage of supply.

"We only store one and a half to two days product and rely on daily collections from refineries bought at todays’ prices.

"As we have no ability to control the price, we find ourselves in an unprecedented situation.

"We will do everything we can to maintain supply to our loyal and valued customers."

Goff Petroleum, based in Wymondham, delivers kerosene heating oil to homes and businesses across East Anglia (Image: Goff)

The effective closure of the Strait of Hormuz – the narrow waterway that usually carries about a fifth of the world’s oil exports – alongside a number of Gulf states lowering their oil production, has seen the price of oil soar.

Brent crude – the global oil benchmark – reached close to $120 a barrel earlier this week, surpassing $100 for the first time since Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022, although it is now back below $100.

Around 1.5 million homes in the UK are heated using oil.

Seven out of the 10 areas where heating oil is most commonly used are found in the east of England, according to 2021 Census data.

These people are not protected by the energy price cap, unlike mains gas and electricity customers.

Heating oil is priced against jet fuel in European markets and 40pc of the continent's jet fuel is imported from the Middle East.

The Oil Market Journal has said the world is now in a "Covid-time economic shock".

"We expect a stock market crash, oil prices to spike to $150 per barrel, followed by a 20pc global economic shutdown," it said this week.

The wholesale price of jet fuel has more than doubled - a three-and-a-half-year peak.

Goff delivers heating oil to more than 70,000 homes, farms, schools, and businesses.

© Norwich Evening News