Saudi Arabia's East-West Pipeline Expected Back Online Within Days
US Energy Secretary Chris Wright said Saudi Arabia's East-West Pipeline should be back online within days after attacks by Iran-aligned groups forced it to temporarily close. The pipeline, which runs across the Arabian Peninsula and has been moving 4 million to 5 million barrels per day, was shut down following missile and drone strikes from Yemen.
The US has been providing intelligence support to Saudi Arabia, but has resisted direct military intervention beyond that. Wright said Saudi Arabia is taking steps to move more oil out of the Strait of Hormuz with assistance from the US military.
Sources told Reuters that the pipeline could take as long as five to six weeks to repair, but another source said it could be fixed sooner and resume pumping partially while repairs take place. The East-West Pipeline has been a vital route for global supplies of Middle Eastern oil since the Strait of Hormuz was largely shut down by the Iran war.