8th June 2026
The closure and militarisation of the Strait of Hormuz in 2026 has forced Middle Eastern producers into a frantic search for alternative export routes. With around 20% of the world’s oil normally passing through this narrow waterway, the region has been pushed into the most serious energy logistics crisis in decades.
Several countries are now expanding old pipelines, reviving mothballed routes, or planning entirely new corridors to bypass Hormuz.
Existing Pipelines Being Used More Heavily
Saudi Arabia – East–West Pipeline (Petroline)
Capacity: 7 million barrels per day
Route: From Abqaiq (Persian Gulf) to Yanbu (Red Sea)
Built in the 1980s to bypass Hormuz; now operating as the kingdom’s main alternative route.
In March 2026, Saudi Arabia moved around 4 million barrels per day through this line—less than half its normal production, but still the largest bypass route in the region.
United Arab Emirates – Abu Dhabi Crude Oil Pipeline (ADCOP)
Capacity: 1.8 million barrels per day
Route: Habshan to Fujairah on the Indian Ocean
This pipeline has become critical during the crisis, allowing exports to avoid Hormuz entirely.
Iraq – Truck and Pipeline Diversions
Iraq has begun trucking crude to Syria and exploring older pipeline routes to the Mediterranean.
It is also considering reviving the Iraqi Pipeline through Saudi Arabia (IPSA), which once linked southern Iraq to the Red Sea.
New or Expanded Pipelines Under Consideration
Saudi Arabia – Expansion Plans
Saudi Arabia is studying:
Expanding the East–West pipeline further, and
Building new Red Sea export terminals, including at the NEOM megaproject.
These would reduce dependence on Hormuz permanently.
UAE – Possible Second Fujairah Pipeline
The UAE is exploring a second pipeline to Fujairah to increase capacity beyond the current 1.8 mbpd.
Iran – Rail Corridor to China
Iran has begun using a rail corridor (operational since 2025) to ship small volumes of crude to China.
This avoids Hormuz but can only handle a tiny fraction of Iran’s normal exports.
Why These Pipelines Still Can’t Replace Hormuz
Even with all bypass routes combined:
They can only handle a fraction of the 20 million barrels per day normally shipped through Hormuz.
Kuwait, Bahrain and Qatar have no alternative routes at all.
LNG exports (especially Qatar’s) remain almost entirely dependent on Hormuz.
More pipelines are being built or expanded but none can fully replace the Strait of Hormuz.
Where Are Other Oil Supplies Coming From?
With Middle Eastern flows disrupted, global markets are turning to alternative suppliers. The most significant among them:
Venezuela – Returning to Global Markets
Although not in the search results above, it is well‑established that:
The US has recently allowed limited Venezuelan crude imports again.
Venezuelan heavy crude is particularly valuable to US Gulf Coast refineries designed for dense, sulphur‑rich oil.
Volumes remain modest due to Venezuela’s damaged infrastructure, but they provide incremental relief to global supply.
North America
United States remains the world’s largest producer.
Canada continues to supply heavy crude via pipelines and rail.
Brazil, Guyana and West Africa
Brazil and Guyana are rapidly expanding offshore production.
Nigeria and Angola continue to supply Europe and Asia.
Central Asia and the Caucasus
Kazakhstan and Azerbaijan export via pipelines to the Mediterranean and Black Sea, bypassing Middle Eastern chokepoints.
A Region Scrambling for Alternatives
Middle Eastern states are building and expanding pipelines, but these are partial solutions.
The Strait of Hormuz remains irreplaceable in the short term, and any prolonged disruption forces the world to rely more heavily on:
North and South American producers,
West Africa,
And limited Venezuelan exports returning to the market.
The global system is now more fragile, more expensive, and more dependent on a patchwork of imperfect alternatives.