Saudi Oil Pipeline Repairs May Take Five Weeks, Threatening Global Supplies

Saudi Arabia's East-West oil pipeline, damaged in an attack last week, may be out of service for three to five weeks while repairs are carried out. The 1,200-kilometer pipeline was shut down on September 10 after being attacked by drones launched by Iranian-backed militias in Iraq. Regional officials told the Associated Press that the repair work could take up to five weeks and would leave most of the crucial route out of service during this period.

According to officials, who spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to speak to the media, some parts of the pipeline may continue operating partially while repairs are carried out. The East-West Pipeline has a capacity of up to 7 million barrels of crude oil per day and is a key component of Saudi Arabia's efforts to export oil without relying on the Strait of Hormuz.

The officials also mentioned that the pipeline carries crude from Saudi Arabia's Gulf ports to its Red Sea coast, where it can be loaded onto tankers for export. The attack on the pipeline has put additional pressure on global oil prices and increased Iran's leverage in its conflict with the United States.