Full Breakdown
Saudi Arabia Restarts East-West Pipeline Exports After Drone Damage
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Core Event: Pipeline Resumes Overseas Shipments
Following drone strikes on September 11 that damaged three pumping stations, Saudi Arabia halted exports from Yanbu. A person with direct knowledge told Bloomberg that, as of September 28, overseas shipments have begun again, ending a 17-day interruption. Saudi Aramco and the Saudi Ministry of Energy did not comment further.
Background & Context
The 1,200-km East-West pipeline links Saudi oil fields in the Eastern Province with the Red Sea port of Yanbu, bypassing the Strait of Hormuz. It can move up to 7 million barrels per day (bpd); about 2 million bpd supplies west-coast refineries, the balance is earmarked for export.
Since the US-Israeli war with Iran began on February 28, Saudi export routes have been strained. The kingdom shifted much of its oil through Hormuz, pushing overall exports to over 5 million bpd in September. The Red Sea corridor also faced threats from Yemen’s Houthi militants, increasing reliance on the East-West line.
Data & Statistics
- Pipeline capacity: 7 million bpd (? 2 million bpd to domestic west-coast refineries).
- Saudi export rates: Kpler data show September shipments averaging 5.4 million bpd, up from 2.446 million bpd in August.
- Ras Tanura output: ? 3.6 million bpd in September, versus 929,000 bpd in August.
- Regional exports: Middle-East crude flows rebounded to 12.8 million bpd in September, about 6 million bpd below the February peak of 18.8 million bpd.
- Hormuz traffic: Exports via the Strait are projected at 7.4 million bpd this month; 19 VLCCs exited the strait last week carrying Saudi oil.
Official Statements & Responses
- Saudi Ministry of Energy (Sept 11): Announced the pipeline closure after attacks in the Riyadh and Madinah regions.
- Saudi Aramco: Told Asian refiners loading could resume shortly; no further flow-rate details were released.
- US Energy Secretary Chris Wright: Noted that daily Hormuz volumes now exceed pre-war levels.
- Bloomberg source: Confirmed overseas shipments have restarted.
Conflicting Reports & Gaps
- Timeline of restart: Reuters reported low-rate operations on September 22 and no tanker loading by September 24, while Bloomberg said full overseas shipments were underway by September 28.
- Restoration horizon: Bloomberg cited a six-week estimate for full capacity; Investing.com referenced a six-to-eight-week window.
- Current operating rate: No public figure disclosed; analysts say the pipeline’s 7 million bpd capacity remains out of reach.
What’s Next
Analysts expect the pipeline to reach full design capacity within six to eight weeks of the late-September repairs. In the interim, Saudi Arabia will continue diverting crude through the Strait of Hormuz to meet export commitments, especially for European customers who faced “zero allocations” earlier in the month. Monitoring tanker schedules and any official allocation adjustments will indicate how quickly the East-West line restores stable global supply.