According to BlockBeats, Saudi Energy Minister Abdulaziz bin Salman said on Oct. 12 that Saudi Arabia plans to raise its overland oil transport capacity that bypasses the Strait of Hormuz to 10 million barrels per day within the next two to three years, in a bid to reduce reliance on shipping routes through the Gulf.
The kingdom’s East-West pipeline currently connects eastern oil fields with the Red Sea port of Yanbu and has a designed capacity of 7 million barrels per day. As of early October, actual daily throughput on the line had climbed to 5.8 million barrels, including about 4.5 million barrels for export, while the remainder was supplied to refineries in western Saudi Arabia.
Saudi Arabia is upgrading pump stations along the route to lift transport capacity. It is also planning a temporary conversion of existing natural gas pipelines for crude oil transport. After those pipeline adjustments, the system could handle about 1.2 million barrels per day. If additional investment is made in pump stations and compressors, potential capacity could rise to 3 million barrels per day.
Saudi officials are also assessing a dual-use oil and gas pipeline network that could switch transport functions based on geopolitical risks and seasonal demand. The broader plan is intended to address possible disruption to shipping through the Strait of Hormuz and security risks on Red Sea routes, while building a more flexible crude export system. Still, the 10 million barrel-per-day overland transport target remains in the planning and construction stage, and whether it is ultimately achieved will depend on pipeline upgrades and related infrastructure investment.