Gulf states speed up Strait of Hormuz bypass plans amid West Asia crisis
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New Delhi: Gulf nations are fast-tracking alternatives to the Strait of Hormuz—through which 20 million barrels of oil flow daily—as the West Asia conflict drags on, with shipping attacks heightening risks, a Financial Times report says.
Saudi Arabia relies heavily on its 1,200-km East-West (Petroline) pipeline from eastern fields to Red Sea port Yanbu, boasting 7 million barrels per day capacity to sustain exports. The UAE taps its Abu Dhabi Crude Oil Pipeline from Habshan fields to Fujairah on the Gulf of Oman, handling up to 1.8 million barrels daily, though not at full throttle yet.
Analysts stress these routes offer only partial buffers against major disruptions. In response, Saudi Arabia eyes East-West expansions, new Red Sea terminals like Neom, and extra pipelines. The UAE considers a second Fujairah line for added security.
These national fixes beat complex cross-border projects in speed. Longer-term, Gulf states explore interconnected regional networks for robust resilience. The crisis has turbocharged such plans, experts note.
(Inputs from IANS)
