Riyadh, Sept 17:
Saudi Arabia has temporarily shut its major East-West oil pipeline after a drone attack caused damage to the facility, disrupting the flow of crude through a key route used to transport oil to the Red Sea.
The 1,200-km pipeline, also known as Petroline, runs from the Abqaiq oilfield in eastern Saudi Arabia to Yanbu on the Red Sea coast. Saudi authorities said drones struck sections of the pipeline in the Riyadh and Medina areas, causing damage and injuries.
The Saudi Energy Ministry said the pipeline was shut as a precaution while specialised teams secured the facility and assessed the damage. The pipeline has been particularly important as an alternative route for Saudi oil exports amid disruptions affecting shipping through the Strait of Hormuz.
The pipeline has carried around four to five million barrels of oil a day in recent months, equivalent to roughly 4-5 per cent of global oil supply, according to data cited by Reuters. The disruption therefore has implications beyond Saudi Arabia, particularly at a time when global energy markets are already facing supply pressures.
No group had claimed responsibility for the drone strikes at the time of the report. An investigation was also under way into reports that the drones were launched from Iraqi territory.
The duration of the shutdown remains uncertain, with Saudi authorities yet to disclose the full extent of the damage. The incident has added to concerns over the security of critical energy infrastructure in the region.