The Gulf states’ pipeline re-examination plan aims to bypass the Strait of Hormuz, with Saudi Arabia’s east-west pipeline set to transport 7 million barrels of crude oil per day.

Gate News message: On April 2, according to a report by the UK’s Financial Times, Gulf states are reexamining their costly pipeline plans to bypass this shipping choke point and ensure oil and gas exports, as Iran’s potential long-term control of the Strait of Hormuz poses a threat. Government officials and industry executives said that although pipeline projects are expensive, politically complex, and take years, this may be the only way to reduce the Gulf states’ reliance on the strait. The ongoing conflict further highlights the strategic value of Saudi Arabia’s 1,200-kilometer “east-west pipeline.” Built in the 1980s, the pipeline was originally intended to address concerns about the strait being closed due to the Iran-Iraq “tanker war.” Today, it has become a critical lifeline, sending 7 million barrels of crude oil per day to Red Sea port facilities in Yanbu, completely bypassing the Strait of Hormuz. Saudi Arabia is currently considering how to export more crude oil via pipelines, with options including expanding the “east-west pipeline” capacity or opening up new routes.