Saudi East-West oil pipeline to stay mostly offline for weeks, officials say

A crucial Saudi oil pipeline struck last week will mostly remain out of service for three to five weeks while damage is repaired, two regional officials told The Associated Press on Monday — deepening the global energy shock as the Strait of Hormuz stays disrupted. The 1,200-kilometre East-West Pipeline (Petroline), which can carry up to 7 million barrels a day to the Red Sea and bypass Hormuz, was shut after an attack Saudi Arabia blamed on drones from Iran-backed militias in Iraq. Officials said repairs include a major pumping facility; one said the line may operate partially during the work. Aramco did not immediately comment. Traders have warned a prolonged shutdown could remove as much as 4% of global oil supply. Brent crude already surged past $108 amid the outage, while U.S. diesel hit a record above $6.23 a gallon. The multi-week offline window compounds risks from Houthi pressure on Bab el-Mandeb and stalled Gulf-Iran talks on reopening Hormuz. Source: Associated Press How long can the global oil market absorb a weeks-long loss of Saudi Arabia’s main Hormuz bypass? https://www.local10.com/news/world/2026/09/14/saudi-oil-pipeline-hit-in-strikes-will-be-mostly-out-of-service-for-several-weeks-for-repair/