Saudi Arabia Restores East-West Pipeline to Full Capacity

Saudi Arabia has fully restored the strategic East-West Pipeline to peak operational capacity of approximately 7 million barrels per day, the Ministry of Energy confirmed, just four days after Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps strikes targeted the critical infrastructure. The rapid recovery neutralizes a severe threat to global energy supplies as the Strait of Hormuz remains effectively closed.
The April 8 IRGC attack on the pipeline network and American-operated Yanbu oil facilities briefly crippled the Kingdom’s sole viable crude export route amid ongoing naval conflict. Saudi Aramco has recovered affected volumes from the Manifa oilfield, which saw output reduced by roughly 300,000 barrels per day, while repair work continues at the Khurais facility.
The 1,200-kilometer Petroline remains Saudi Arabia’s only functional export artery while Hormuz area-denial operations prevent maritime transit. The pipeline diverts oil from the heavily targeted Eastern Province to Red Sea port facilities at Yanbu, bypassing the blocked strait that historically handled one-fifth of global petroleum shipments.
Aramco historically utilizes approximately 2 million barrels daily for domestic operations, leaving 5 million barrels available for export markets. Yanbu loadings were running near capacity at 4.6 million barrels per day prior to recent disruptions, demonstrating the facility’s centrality to maintaining Saudi revenue flows and global price stability during regional conflict.
The restoration’s speed—achieved while hostilities continue and Islamabad negotiations collapsed—reflects Saudi technical resilience and strategic prioritization. However, persistent Iranian strike capability against exposed pipeline infrastructure and Red Sea loading facilities maintains vulnerability regardless of repair capacity.