Saudi Arabia's vital East-West oil pipeline was shut down as a precautionary measure after multiple attacks occurred on Thursday, September 10, 2026. The Ministry of Energy announced the closure, citing several injuries and stating that emergency teams are actively working to secure the pipeline and assess its safety. This pipeline is critical as it provides a workaround for oil shipments that cannot transit the Strait of Hormuz.
The attacks, which targeted pumping stations along the pipeline in the Riyadh and Madinah regions, were confirmed by US officials. Satellite imagery on September 10, 2026, showed smoke plumes from fires along the pipeline, with one image on Friday indicating extensive fire damage at a pumping station, and another on Thursday showing a smaller fire with thick black smoke. An initial US assessment suggests that projectiles hit the pumping stations. One US official indicated that drones originating from Iraq might have been involved, though responsibility has not yet been definitively established.
The East-West pipeline can transport up to 7 million barrels per day (bpd), and Saudi Arabia has been rerouting approximately 5 million bpd through it. The recent attacks highlight the vulnerability of Saudi Arabia's primary alternative crude export route, especially with ongoing disruptions in the Strait of Hormuz and threats to Red Sea shipping. The extent of the damage to the pipeline itself or the repair timeline for the pumping infrastructure remains unclear, which could significantly impact oil markets, particularly given that OPEC has already lowered its 2026 global oil demand growth forecast to 380,000 bpd and Saudi crude production in August had fallen to its lowest level since 1990 at 6.24 million bpd.
