Arabia Saudí cierra su oleoducto alternativo a Ormuz tras sufrir varios ataques

The Saudi Arabian government announced on Friday the precautionary closure of the East-West oil pipeline, a strategic infrastructure stretching 1,200 kilometers across the country. The pipeline, known as Petroline, transports up to 7 million barrels of crude oil daily from the eastern oil fields near the Persian Gulf to the port of Yanbu on the Red Sea.

This reduction in export capacity was prompted by a series of attacks on September 10, 2026, which caused several injuries and prompted immediate response from emergency services and technical experts. The attacks targeted the pipeline, a crucial alternative route to the strategic Strait of Hormuz, exacerbating tensions in the region.

While the origin and perpetrators of the attacks have not been disclosed, Saudi Arabia's Ministry of Energy assured that all necessary measures were taken to secure the infrastructure and assess its safety. The pipeline's significance lies in its ability to circumvent the Strait of Hormuz, thereby bypassing the current blockade and restrictions.

However, the East-West pipeline has also faced threats and attacks in recent months, including drone strikes and Iranian incursions that disrupted oil flow by an estimated 700,000 barrels per day.