Full Breakdown
Saudi Arabia Reroutes Crude After East-West Pipeline Drone Attack, Exports Surge
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Export Surge Following Pipeline Outage
A drone strike from Iraq disabled a pump station on Saudi Arabia’s East-West oil pipeline earlier this month. The pipeline, capable of moving up to 7 million barrels per day, was forced offline, prompting Riyadh to shift crude shipments from its Red Sea terminals to the Strait of Hormuz. In September, Saudi crude exports rose to roughly 5.3 million barrels per day, nearly 80 % higher than the 3.4 million barrels per day recorded in August. The increase represents the highest daily export level since the Iran-related war began seven months ago.
Key Export Figures
- September export rate: ~5.3 million bpd (Bloomberg ship-signal data).
- August export rate: 3.4 million bpd (Kpler data).
- Hormuz traffic: Seven-day average of 13.2 million bpd, down from about 17 million bpd before the conflict.
- Pipeline capacity: Up to 7 million bpd; currently operating at low volumes after partial restoration.
Official Responses
Saudi Aramco declined to comment on the outage. The statement suggests confidence that the pipeline will resume normal flow soon.
Verbatim Quotes
- “The ramp-up from the Mideast Gulf is a consequence of the pipeline outage, but it likely also signals a greater confidence in using the Strait of Hormuz given rising traffic,” — Matt Smith, director of commodity research at Kpler
Implications for Markets
Analysts note that the rapid rerouting signals renewed confidence in using the Strait of Hormuz despite ongoing attacks on tankers. Brent crude, which spiked to nearly $110 per barrel after the shutdown, has moderated as traders assess the reduced market disruption. The surge also allowed Saudi Arabia to sell almost 100 million barrels for October-November delivery to Asian buyers, supporting regional supply and tempering price volatility.