Saudi Arabia’s critical East-West oil pipeline, a lifeline for the kingdom’s crude exports, was struck in an Iranian attack, disrupting the flow of around 7 million barrels per day from the oil-rich eastern region to the Red Sea port of Yanbu. The assault, confirmed by industry sources, marks a sharp escalation in regional tensions and threatens to deepen what experts have dubbed the world’s worst energy crisis.
The pipeline, Saudi Arabia’s sole export outlet amid Iran’s effective closure of the Strait of Hormuz, sustained damage that is still being assessed. Flows are expected to falter, potentially slashing the roughly 5 million bpd available for export after accounting for Aramco’s domestic usage of 2 million bpd.
Yanbu, a key shipping hub, had been operating near capacity with loadings averaging 4.6 million bpd in the week starting March 23, despite earlier attacks on the port on March 19.
Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) claimed responsibility, stating it targeted multiple sites across the region with missiles and drones. Among the targets were oil facilities in Yanbu linked to American companies, further complicating the geopolitical fallout. The strikes come at a time when global energy markets are already reeling from constrained supply and skyrocketing prices due to the Hormuz blockade.
The attack on the pipeline and other Saudi facilities amplifies pressure on an already strained global oil supply chain. With millions of barrels trapped by the closure of alternative routes, any prolonged disruption at Yanbu could push prices to new highs and force importing nations to scramble for alternatives. Saudi Arabia, the world’s largest oil exporter, now faces a critical test of its ability to secure and redirect its output.
Damage assessments are ongoing, but the immediate impact is clear: a potential loss of export capacity at a moment when every barrel counts.
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