4th November 2026
Saudi Arabia has an important advantage over many other major oil-producing countries. It has an alternative route for exporting much of its oil without having to send tankers through the Strait of Hormuz.
But that advantage comes with its own vulnerabilities. As tensions in the Middle East continue, the pipeline connecting Saudi Arabia's oil-producing east with its Red Sea coast has become an increasingly important part of the international energy picture.
The question is not simply whether the pipeline could be attacked, but how much the world would be affected if its operation were disrupted.
A pipeline built for difficult times
The East-West pipeline, also known as Petroline, was constructed in the early 1980s. It stretches approximately 1,200 kilometres across Saudi Arabia, carrying crude oil from the country's eastern oilfields to Yanbu on the Red Sea.
Its purpose was straightforward: provide Saudi Arabia with an alternative export route if the Persian Gulf became inaccessible or shipping through the Strait of Hormuz was threatened.
The pipeline has two lines and was originally designed to transport around five million barrels of crude oil daily. Saudi Aramco increased its stated capacity to seven million barrels a day in March 2025, although the International Energy Agency has cautioned that sustained operation at that level has not yet been demonstrated.
That distinction matters. A pipeline's maximum theoretical capacity is not necessarily the amount of oil that can reliably be delivered to export terminals.
Why it matters so much now
The Strait of Hormuz is one of the world's most important energy chokepoints.
Around 20 million barrels of oil and petroleum products passed through it daily during 2025, representing approximately a quarter of global seaborne oil trade.
Saudi Arabia has been increasing its use of the alternative pipeline as shipping through the Strait has been disrupted.
On 6 October, Saudi Arabia's Energy Minister reported that flows through the East-West pipeline had reached 5.8 million barrels daily.
That is a substantial volume, equivalent to roughly 6% of normal worldwide daily oil consumption.
The pipeline is therefore doing much more than providing Saudi Arabia with a convenient alternative. It is helping maintain international oil supplies during a period of considerable uncertainty.
Could it become a target?
This is where the security situation becomes important.
Saudi Arabia has experienced attacks on its energy infrastructure before. The September 2019 attacks on the Abqaiq processing facility and Khurais oilfield temporarily disrupted 5.7 million barrels of daily production.
More recently, in September 2026, drone attacks attributed by Saudi Arabia to Iraqi-based militias forced a temporary precautionary shutdown of the East-West pipeline.
The Houthis have also made claims about attacking the pipeline's pumping stations and other Saudi energy facilities. Reuters reported these claims on 26 October, although Saudi Arabia did not immediately confirm that the pumping stations had been damaged.
These developments demonstrate why the pipeline cannot be regarded as completely secure.
However, it would be premature to suggest that a successful large-scale Houthi attack on the pipeline is inevitable. Claims of attacks, confirmed damage and actual interruption of oil supplies are three different things.
What would disruption mean for oil prices?
There is an important distinction between closing the Strait of Hormuz and disrupting the pipeline.
If both routes were seriously affected, Saudi Arabia would have considerably fewer options for maintaining its exports.
Other countries, including the United Arab Emirates, have alternative pipeline arrangements, but the International Energy Agency estimates that total available alternative export capacity across the region is limited to approximately 3.5–5.5 million barrels daily.
That is nowhere near enough to replace the oil normally transported through Hormuz.
Even a temporary interruption could therefore create additional uncertainty in oil markets.
For Britain, the consequences would be felt through international crude prices, wholesale fuel costs and potentially another increase in inflation.
Although Britain does not depend directly on Saudi Arabia for all its oil supplies, oil is traded internationally. A shortage in one part of the world can increase prices elsewhere.
An important piece of energy infrastructure to watch
Saudi Arabia's East-West pipeline is an important part of the international energy system. Its value has increased considerably as tensions have affected traditional shipping routes.
There is no need to assume that the Houthis will succeed in disrupting it, or that another major attack is imminent.
But the recent threats and previous attacks demonstrate that alternative supply routes have vulnerabilities of their own.
The pipeline was built to protect Saudi Arabia against disruption in the Gulf. It may now be facing a different security challenge from the other side of the country.
For oil markets, governments and consumers, its continued operation is becoming increasingly important.
Institue For War Update 2 November 2026