Riyadh (Commerce Desk) — Crude oil shipments have been temporarily suspended following a drone attack on Saudi Arabia’s major east-to-west oil pipeline, raising concerns that up to 5 percent of global oil supplies could be affected.
According to a special report by Arab media, the approximately 1,200-kilometer-long pipeline connects oil reserves in Saudi Arabia’s eastern regions with the Red Sea port of Yanbu.
Through this route, Saudi Arabia has the capacity to transport approximately 4 to 5 million barrels of crude oil daily to the western coast without passing through the Strait of Hormuz.
According to the Saudi Ministry of Energy, the pipeline was affected by drone attacks in the Riyadh and Medina regions, while some people were also injured. Shipments were subsequently suspended as a precautionary measure.
Saudi authorities said the drone attacks were carried out from Iraq’s southeastern Maysan province, which is located near the Iranian border and has previously been home to Iran-aligned armed groups.
Importance of the Pipeline
According to the report, the pipeline transporting crude oil from eastern oil fields to Yanbu was built in 1981 and has a maximum daily transport capacity of 7 million barrels.
In recent months, oil shipments through the route have declined due to Houthi attacks in the Red Sea. Around 2 million barrels per day were transported through the pipeline in August, the lowest monthly level since January.
According to Arab media, during the war against Iran, disruptions in the Strait of Hormuz prompted Saudi Arabia to increase oil shipments through the western route to approximately 4 to 5 million barrels per day during the first five months, equivalent to around 4 to 5 percent of total global oil supplies.