Egypt, Saudi Arabia warn against treating Sudan army, RSF as equals

WTI crude oil prices slipped below $100 per barrel on Wednesday due to Saudi Arabia's intensified efforts to restore oil flows through its East-West pipeline, which was damaged by a drone strike last week. The prospect of a partial pipeline restart alleviated some supply concerns in a market already grappling with disruptions across the Middle East.

WTI traded around $97.90 a barrel, declining nearly 3% on the day after failing to maintain gains above $100. Saudi Aramco is endeavoring to bypass the damaged section and resume half of the pipeline's capacity within days, with full operations expected to return in about six weeks. This development follows a Reuters report that Saudi Arabia is augmenting crude shipments to Asian refiners via ship-to-ship transfers near Oman's Sohar port.

The East-West pipeline, spanning 1,200 kilometers, serves as an alternative to the Strait of Hormuz, transporting up to 7 million barrels daily. Only four vessels passed through the Strait of Hormuz on Tuesday, a stark contrast to the seven on Monday and significantly lower than the ten-day average of 18. WTI Oil, a high-quality crude sold on international markets, is prone to fluctuations driven by supply and demand, global growth, political instability, wars, and sanctions, as well as the decisions of OPEC and the value of the US Dollar, which significantly impacts Oil prices due to its prevalent trading in US Dollars.