Saudi Oil Loaded from Port at Yanbu after Pipeline Attack

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Written by Daniel Graeber for IIR News Intelligence (Sugar Land, Texas)

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Summary

Industrial Info found the Saudi Arabian Oil Company, otherwise known as Saudi Aramco, was able to bypass some sections of a damaged crude oil pipeline to get product moving again. The line was the subject of sabotage in early September.

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Even with Improved Flows, Maritime Risks are High

Industrial Info Resources on Wednesday continued research into the East-West crude oil pipeline traversing the Saudi peninsula amid reports of vessels loading at a terminal on the Red Sea.

In a note to clients and in an explanatory piece last week, Industrial Info Resources reported that drone attacks on the East-West crude oil pipeline hobbled deliveries from the Saudi port city of Yanbu on the Red Sea. For more information, see September 14, 2026, article - Key Saudi Oil Pipeline Damaged in Drone Attack.

The East-West crude oil pipeline is a 745-mile network that traverses the Saudi peninsula and avoids the Strait of Hormuz. It was designed with a peak capacity of 7 million barrels per day (bpd).

Industrial Info Resources offers more information on the East-West pipeline in its Global Market Intelligence (GMI) Pipeline Database, where readers can find details in a pipeline profile.

Early Wednesday, a reporter for Bloomberg posted online that satellite imagery had determined tankers were taking on crude oil from Yanbu, though it's unclear the extent to which the pipeline is operational.

"Saudi Aramco built bypasses around the damaged sections to get product moving again," added Jesus Davis, a vice president for energy services at Industrial Info.

Speaking to CNBC, meanwhile, Corey Ranslem, the CEO of maritime risk consultancy Dryad Global, said vessel traffic through the Bab al-Mandab Strait separating Saudi Arabia from the African continent is about 30 per day, compared with 80 on average. The Iranian-backed Houthi rebel group has seized control of islands off the coast of Yemen, threatening maritime traffic even further.

After the initial pipeline attack, Saudi Aramco Mobil Refinery Limited, otherwise known as SAMREF, cut operations at its Yanbu SAMREF Refinery on the Red Sea by 50% from its design capacity of 400,000 bpd. That facility could be running at a lower rate until at least October, Industrial Info data show; readers can learn more about the refinery from a plant profile.

Highlighting the ongoing risks, meanwhile, the United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations Center on Wednesday reported that a cargo vessel was on fire following an attack in the Strait of Hormuz.

By the Numbers

• 13% increase in Brent crude oil so far in September
• 62% drop in vessel traffic through Bab al-Mandab Strait

Oil Prices Holding Above $100 per Barrel

The price for Brent crude oil, the global benchmark, was up more than 2% in early Wednesday trading to move near the $100 per barrel mark, after starting September at $94 per barrel. With the subsequent rise in consumer fuel prices, the White House is said to be mulling a ban on exports of some refined petroleum products.

Shortages are global in nature, however.

"Of the 8 million barrels of diesel traded globally by sea each day, the U.S. supplies about 1.5 million of them--about 20%," the American Petroleum Institute (API) said in a Tuesday statement. "An export ban would remove the single largest source of global diesel from the market, and the consequences could be catastrophic."

U.S. refiners have operated near their peak capacity for much of the year, and API added that even the world's "largest producing and most complex refining system" cannot solve global energy issues alone.

It could be a busy season for regular maintenance, as well. Refiners in September start regular maintenance while retooling operations to make the winter-blend of consumer fuels. At the retail level, with crude oil prices already elevated, a handful of refinery issues in the Great Lakes region have led to increased pain at the pump.

Elsewhere on Tuesday, PBF Energy shut down parts of its refinery in Delaware City following a fire at a plant that can process as much as 175,000 bpd. Industrial Info continues to investigate the extent of the damage; readers can learn more about the refinery from a plant profile.

Key Takeaways

• Saudis resuming oil loadings in Red Sea after pipeline attack
• White House mulling steps to offset escalating commodity prices

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About Industrial Info Resources
Industrial Info Resources (IIR) is the leading provider of industrial market intelligence. Since 1983, IIR has provided comprehensive research, news, and analysis on the industrial process, manufacturing, and energy-related industries. IIR's Global Market Intelligence (GMI) helps companies identify and pursue trends across multiple markets with access to real, qualified, and verified plant and project opportunities. Across the world, Industrial Info Resources is tracking over 250,000 current and future projects worth $30.2 trillion (USD).