Important announcement by Saudi Arabia: East-West pipeline bypassing Hormuz restored, carrying oil at full capacity

Saudi Arabia restored maximum oil pumping capacity through the East-West pipeline to about seven million barrels per day, according to an announcement on Sunday, days after presenting an assessment of damage to the energy sector from attacks during the conflict with Iran.

The Saudi Ministry of Health reported that energy facilities and the pipeline affected by attacks during the conflict have returned and restored their operational capacity.

Saudi Arabia has not said who launched the attacks, but the kingdom has intercepted numerous Iranian missiles and drones in recent weeks.

The attacks also disrupted operations at major oil, gas, refining, petrochemical and power facilities in Riyadh, Eastern Province and the industrial city of Yanbu.

The only way to export Saudi oil when Hormuz is closed

Saudi Arabia had said on Thursday that the attacks had reduced its oil production capacity by about 600,000 barrels per day and the flow of the East-West pipeline by about 700,000 barrels per day.

The East-West Pipeline has been Saudi Arabia's only crude oil export route amid the closure of the Strait of Hormuz.

Iran attacked the pipeline just hours after a ceasefire was agreed.

The Saudi ministry said it had recovered affected volumes from the Manifa oil field, where production had previously been cut by about 300,000 barrels per day.

Work was underway to restore production to full capacity at the Khurais facility after attacks on it cut Saudi Arabia's capacity by another 300,000 barrels a day, the Saudis said

They added that the rapid recovery will enhance “reliability and continuity of supply to local and global markets”.