East–West Crude Oil Pipeline

Not to be confused with the East–West pipeline for natural gas in Turkmenistan, the East West Gas Pipeline in India, or the West–East Gas Pipeline in China.
East–West Crude Oil Pipeline
East-West Crude Oil Pipeline (left) with the UAE's Habshan–Fujairah oil pipeline
General information
Commissioned1982
Technical information
Length1,201 km (746 mi)
No. of pumping stations13

The East-West Pipeline, also known as the Petroline, is a 746 miles (1,201 km)-long pipeline that runs from the Abqaiq oil field in the Eastern Province (near Bahrain and Qatar on the Persian Gulf coast) across the width of the Arabian Peninsula to Yanbu at the Red Sea. It was built during the Iran-Iraq war in the 1980's to allow Saudi Arabian oil exports to bypass the tanker war and the Strait of Hormuz.[1]

Pipeline description

The pipeline has two pipes, one of 56 inches (142 cm) diameter and the other, originally for natural gas liquids, of 48 inches (122 cm) diameter.[2][3]

As of 2018 they had a capacity of 5 million barrels of oil per day (BPD)[4] during normal operation. As of 2026, its full capacity was 7 million BPD[5] when accompanying natural gas liquids pipelines are converted to carry crude oil.[6] It was converted to full capacity on March 11, 2026, due to the 2026 Iran war and the associated closure of the Strait of Hormuz to non-Iranian vessels.[7]

Typically, the pipeline supplies oil to a number of locations: 1 million BPD to 3 refineries in Yanbu (controlled by the Yanbu National Petrochemical Company and Aramco), to the Sumed pipeline in Egypt, and 1.1—1.4 million BPD of Arab Light oil through the King Fahd Industrial Port (Yanbu) with a limit of 3 million BPD.[8][9]

Yanbu port's two terminals, Yanbu North and Yanbu South, have a nominal loading capacity of about 4.5 million BPD, but a tested actual capacity of about 4 million BPD. However consultancy Vortexa estimates that in wartime conditions capacity would be about 3 million BPD.[2][10]

History

External videos
East West Petroline

The pipeline was built in the 1980s, "amid fears that the Iran-Iraq war would cut off shipping through the Strait of Hormuz."[3]

The 2019 East–West Pipeline attack was a Houthi drone attack that targeted the pipeline on 14 May 2019. The attack temporarily shut down the pipeline.[3]

The pipeline has been converted at times to carry natural gas, and has been converted back to carry crude oil.[11]

See also

References

  1. ^ Blas, Javier (July 15, 2012). "Pipelines bypassing Hormuz open". www.ft.com. Retrieved 2017-05-28.
  2. ^ a b Gottlieb, Bryan (13 March 2026). "Hormuz Bypass Infrastructure Was Sized for a Short Disruption. This Is Not That". Engineering News-Record. Retrieved 17 March 2026.
  3. ^ a b c BATRAWY, AYA; GAMBRELL, JON (15 May 2019). "Saudi Arabia says its oil pipeline was hit by drones". THE ASSOCIATED PRESS.
  4. ^ "The Strait of Hormuz is the world's most important oil transit chokepoint - Today in Energy - U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA)". www.eia.gov. Archived from the original on 2018-09-11. Retrieved 2017-05-28.
  5. ^ "'Swinging into action:' The Saudi Arabian pipeline designed to bypass Hormuz". Middle East Eye. Retrieved 2026-03-11.
  6. ^ "Amid regional conflict, the Strait of Hormuz remains critical oil chokepoint - U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA)". www.eia.gov. Retrieved 2026-03-11.
  7. ^ S&P Global (10 Mar 2026). "Aramco's East-West pipeline to hit full capacity in 'next couple of days:' CEO". Retrieved 10 Mar 2026.
  8. ^ Rathod, Rohit (5 March 2026). "Strait of Hormuz alternatives for crude exports | Vortexa". www.vortexa.com.
  9. ^ "Aramco-asks-buyers-dual-loading-nominations-amid-hormuz-crisis-sources-say". Reuters. 11 March 2026.
  10. ^ Rathod, Rohit (5 March 2026). "Strait of Hormuz alternatives for crude exports". Vortexa. Retrieved 17 March 2026.
  11. ^ Saudi Arabia Mineral and Mining Sector Investment and Business Guide. International Business Publications, USA. August 2013. ISBN 9781433043680.
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