In Reply to: The result? Record high gas prices posted by mh on August 13, 2026 at 12:14:32
Saudi Arabia is sending its crude through the East-West Pipeline from the kingdom's eastern oil fields to the Saudi Red Sea port of Yanbu, enabling it to keep up shipments to global markets by circumventing Hormuz entirely.
During April and May, Saudi cargo shipments from its Gulf coast fell from 47.5 million tons a year earlier to just 6.3 million tons, according to data from the International Monetary Fund's Portwatch platform.
Over the same period, exports through the Red Sea rose from 29.6 million to 54.8 million tons. That additional 25.2 million tons replaced roughly 61% of the volume lost on the Persian Gulf side.
The shift shows that the East-West Pipeline is not merely an emergency backup, but also an important tool to keep Saudi oil flowing during a Hormuz closure.
The Iran-backed Houthi rebels in Yemen recently declared a maritime blockade on Saudi Arabia, but its impact was not immediately clear.
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Two issues:
1) The pipeline is very vulnerable to attack, if someone wants to.
2) The Red Sea route is as vulnerable as the Strait.