Saudi Arabia says key oil pipeline back to full capacity after attacks

Saudi Arabia has restored the East-West oil pipeline to full capacity after attacks during the US-Israel war on Iran that curtailed output, according to officials.

After repair work, the key pipeline is back to being able to pump approximately seven million barrels of oil a day, the kingdom’s Ministry of Energy announced on Sunday.

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“This quick recovery reflects the high operational resilience and crisis management efficiency of Saudi Aramco and the Kingdom’s energy ecosystem as a whole, thereby enhancing the reliability and continuity of supplies to local and global markets, and supporting the global economy,” the ministry said in a statement on Sunday, referring to the state-run oil and gas company.

The ministry said production at the Manifa oilfield, located off the Saudi east coast, had also been restored to full capacity of about 300,000bpd after suffering damage in attacks.

Authorities are still working to restore output at the inland Khurais oilfield following the loss of 300,000bpd capacity, the ministry said.

The announcement comes after the state-run Saudi Press Agency reported last week that attacks on a pumping station for the East-West pipeline had reduced daily output by 700,000bpd.

The outlet, which cited a source at the Energy Ministry, also reported that attacks on the Manifa and Khurais oilfields had reduced daily capacity by a combined 600,000 barrels.

The report did not attribute blame for the attacks.

Saudi Arabia and other GCC countries such as Kuwait, Qatar, Bahrain, United Arab Emirates and Qatar witnessed attacks from Iran. Tehran said it targeted US assets in the region. Qatar on Friday released footage showing civilian and energy sites hit by Iranian attacks.

The East-West pipeline, which links the Abqaiq oilfield in the east of the country to the city of Yanbu on the shores of the Red Sea, has emerged as a critical conduit for global oil supplies amid Iran’s effective closure of the Strait of Hormuz.

The blockade of the strait has crippled the transport of about one-fifth of global oil supplies, driving a surge in energy prices worldwide.

Despite the existence of a fragile ceasefire between the United States and Iran since Tuesday, shipping in the strait remains at a near standstill.

Only 22 ships with their automatic identification system turned on exited the strait between Wednesday, when the truce started, and Friday, according to S&P Global, compared with about 135 daily transits before the war.

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