Saudi Arabia Restarts East-West Oil Pipeline

Saudi Arabia restarted operations at its East-West oil pipeline on September 22, 2026, bringing back online a key route that had been shut after drone attacks on September 13. The shutdown had halted crude loadings at the Red Sea port of Yanbu, disrupting an export channel that had become more important following earlier issues in the Strait of Hormuz.

Following the restart, the pipeline was reported to be pumping at a low rate rather than at full capacity. Officials and sources described the move as a step toward restoring normal flows but indicated that operations remained constrained in the immediate aftermath of the outage.

Crude exports from Yanbu could resume later on September 22, with one cargo scheduled to load at the port and said to be bound for China. This suggested that at least limited export activity might restart quickly, even as pipeline throughput remained below targeted levels.

The East-West Pipeline had been used to reroute around 4 million barrels per day of crude to Yanbu after disruptions to shipments through the Strait of Hormuz. That volume represents about 4% of global oil supply, underscoring the strategic role of the line in maintaining export flows when Gulf shipping lanes face constraints.

One source said Saudi Aramco was seeking to restore the pipeline’s pumping rate toward about 4 million barrels per day, aligning with the volumes previously rerouted to Yanbu. This objective highlights the company’s aim to re-establish the pipeline as a major conduit for crude exports.

A security source, however, cautioned that a full resumption of flows could take weeks. This indicates that while the restart marks progress, the system may require time to return to its intended capacity following the damage and disruption caused by the drone attacks.

News of the restart and the potential resumption of supplies from Yanbu contributed to selling pressure in global oil markets. Brent crude futures (UKOIL) fell by more than $2 a barrel, reaching their lowest level since September 8.

The price move reflected market expectations that additional Saudi crude volumes could become available for export as the pipeline and Yanbu operations gradually recover. Even at reduced throughput, the restart of such a significant route influenced short-term sentiment in the oil market.