An oil shockwave is when the cost of oil suddenly increases a lot. This is a big problem because oil is used to make many things, like gas for cars, heating oil, and airplane fuel. When oil prices go up, it makes it more expensive to do all these things. People and businesses often have to spend more money on these things, which can lead to higher prices for other things like food and transportation. This can cause a lot of problems for people, businesses, and even countries.