Saudi Arabia Restarts East-West Pipeline, Reopening Hormuz Bypass
Exports to Yanbu have resumed after repairs, restoring a route that can carry up to 7 million barrels of crude per day to the Red Sea.
Saudi Arabia has resumed oil exports through its East-West pipeline to Yanbu, restoring a Red Sea route that allows crude shipments to bypass the Strait of Hormuz.
The pipeline can carry up to 7 million barrels of crude per day from Saudi Arabia’s eastern oil region to Yanbu. Its restart gives the kingdom an alternative export path as energy flows through the Gulf remain disrupted.
Saudi Aramco began testing the pipeline and rebuilding pressure during the previous week. Meaningful flows resumed by the weekend after repairs to a damaged section.
The line had previously operated at limited levels, moving crude west toward refineries while tanker loading at Yanbu remained suspended. The renewed export flows mark a further step in restoring the route’s role in Saudi Arabia’s crude logistics.
The pipeline was damaged after a drone attack destroyed a pumping station. Saudi Arabia also used alternative shipping arrangements, including ship-to-ship transfers near Sohar, Oman, after disruptions slowed exports from Yanbu.
Oil flows through the Strait of Hormuz have recovered to roughly two-thirds of prewar levels, while Saudi exports through the Red Sea have resumed.
The restart follows earlier limited operations on the East-West pipeline, when crude was moving toward Red Sea refineries but tanker loading at Yanbu had not yet returned.
