No comment from Riyadh on oil delivery cancellations as scale of disruption remains unclear

The ongoing pipeline shutdown has raised concerns about potential disruptions to Saudi oil supplies heading to Europe. Saudi Arabia has not commented on reports suggesting certain refiners may face delays until November, as the extent of the disruption to European deliveries remains unknown. Energy pricing agency Argus disclosed on Tuesday that at least three European refiners had shipments of oil scheduled for late September cancelled or postponed, with some lasting until November.

Saudi Arabia's state-owned Aramco declined to comment on these allegations in an email to Euronews. The shutdown was implemented in response to drone attacks on the pipeline in Riyadh and Medina regions the previous day. The pipeline transports crude from Saudi Arabia's eastern oilfields to the Red Sea port of Yanbu, enabling exports to bypass the strategic Strait of Hormuz.

Tankers then travel from Yanbu to Europe via the Suez Canal. Egypt's SUMED pipeline serves as an alternative route for crude delivery to the Mediterranean. While technical teams are currently assessing the pipeline, there is no confirmed timeline for when pumping will resume. US Energy Secretary Chris Wright estimated the pipeline interruption would last "measured in days."

Saudi-led forces reported intercepting a Houthi drone south of Mecca the day before the attacks, though the Houthis denied involvement. The Houthis seized control of the Bab el-Mandeb strait in the Red Sea after capturing the port of Mokha and nearby islands from Yemen's internationally recognized government. This strait, located south of Yanbu, is essential for shipping routes between Europe and Asia.

Qatar expressed concern that losing access to the Bab el-Mandeb strait could exacerbate the disruption already impacting shipping through Hormuz, emphasizing the need for international cooperation to maintain open waterways. On Tuesday, Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman met with Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi to discuss regional shipping security in Cairo, where el-Sisi expressed support for Saudi measures and called for a political resolution to the ongoing conflict in Yemen.