Saudi Arabia Restarts East-West Pipeline, Prepares Yanbu Exports

Saudi Arabia has restarted its East-West Pipeline at a low rate and is preparing to resume crude oil exports from the Red Sea port of Yanbu as early as Tuesday, September 22, 2026, according to people briefed on the matter and trade sources. Flows through the pipeline had resumed at a low rate, according to two sources familiar with the situation. The restart marks the first restoration of a route that has become critical to Saudi crude exports after drone attacks earlier this month forced the pipeline out of operation and suspended loadings at Yanbu, leading to the cancellation of some late-September cargoes. Several Asian refiners have been informed by Saudi Aramco that they will soon be able to collect crude from Yanbu again, according to people familiar with the matter. Saudi Aramco and the Saudi oil ministry did not respond to requests for comment on the restart. Two pumping stations, numbered eight and nine, were damaged in the recent attack, according to assessments from three oil and security sources. The network is served by 11 pumping stations and two separate pressure relief stations, industry assessments indicate.