Saudi Arabia Restarts Oil Pipeline After Drone Attacks
Saudi Arabia has resumed operations of its East-West oil pipeline after drone attacks on September 11 caused significant disruptions. The pipeline, which was shut down following the attack, is currently operating at low capacity and is expected to reach 40% capacity within several days.
According to sources, Saudi Aramco plans to gradually increase throughput to 4 million barrels per day, while the route's maximum capacity is 7 million barrels. The full restoration of operations may require six to eight weeks, Reuters reports.
The drone attacks damaged three pumping stations along the pipeline, which has a total of 11 pumping stations and two pressure-release stations. The East-West oil pipeline has gained importance due to disruptions in transportation through the Strait of Hormuz, with Saudi Arabia redirecting about 4 million barrels per day to Yanbu, equivalent to approximately 4% of global oil supply.