Saudi Pipeline Hit by Drones Will Be Out of Service for Weeks
A critical Saudi oil pipeline that was attacked last Thursday will be mostly out of service for weeks while damage is repaired, according to two regional officials.
The East-West Pipeline, which carries crude production from Gulf ports to the port of Yanbu on the Red Sea, was shut down after an attack attributed to drones from Iranian-backed militias in Iraq.
Repairing the damage, including at a major pumping facility, could take three to five weeks and may only allow partial oil flow during this period.
The pipeline has been moving 2.6 million to 4 million barrels per day since late August, which will be lost if it stops completely, according to energy analyst Rystad Energy.
This development comes as Yemen's Houthi rebels continue to expand their threat to Saudi shipping routes out of the Red Sea by capturing strategic islands and attacking oil infrastructure and tankers.