Saudi East-West pipeline operating normally after attack claim
14:40, 05/10/2026, MondayU: Update: 14:41, 05/10/2026, Monday
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Saudi Arabia's strategic East-West oil pipeline continues to operate normally following reports of a fresh attack on a pumping station near Khurais, with oil flows uninterrupted despite earlier claims that operations had halted due to extensive damage, according to Bloomberg.
Saudi Arabia's strategic East-West oil pipeline continues to transport crude normally despite earlier reports claiming a fresh attack had disrupted flows through the vital export route that bypasses the Strait of Hormuz, Bloomberg reported on Monday citing people familiar with the matter. The news agency said oil continues to flow through the pipeline, dismissing reports from other media outlets that an attack on a pumping station in Khurais, east of Riyadh, had caused extensive damage and halted operations.
Saudi Aramco and the Saudi Energy Ministry did not immediately respond to Bloomberg's requests for comment regarding the alleged incident. The pipeline — which can carry up to 7 million barrels per day — had been operating at more than 80 percent capacity by late last week, according to the report.
Market Impact
Oil prices pared gains following Bloomberg's clarification that flows remained uninterrupted. Prices had risen as much as 1.2 percent after initial reports of the attack surfaced, with traders reacting to potential supply disruptions from the world's largest crude exporter.
Aramco had increased flows through the pipeline to more than 80 percent of its 7 million-barrel-per-day capacity by late last week, Bloomberg noted. After supplying refineries on Saudi Arabia's west coast, approximately 4.5 million barrels per day remained available for export through the Red Sea terminal.
Previous Disruptions
The East-West pipeline connects Saudi Arabia's eastern oil production facilities with the Red Sea coast, allowing crude exports to bypass the Strait of Hormuz — a strategic chokepoint frequently targeted during regional tensions. Saudi Arabia's Energy Ministry previously confirmed that attacks on September 10 targeted the pipeline in the Riyadh and Medina regions, prompting a precautionary shutdown at that time.
The 1,200-kilometer line serves as a critical alternative export route when maritime passages face security threats. Officials have not indicated whether security measures around the pipeline have been enhanced following the September incidents.
