Aramco Halts Crude Deliveries to Europe Amid Pipeline Shutdown

Saudi Aramco, the national petroleum and natural gas company of Saudi Arabia, will halt contracted crude deliveries to European customers in October due to a key pipeline shutdown.

The decision applies to all of Aramco's European buyers, as two European refiners have reportedly been informed that they would not receive scheduled October cargoes.

This move is likely to push the refiners into the spot market for more expensive alternative cargoes. The East-West pipeline, which carries crude from oil-producing areas in Saudi Arabia's east to the Red Sea port of Yanbu, has been shut down since September 11 after repeated attacks.