Countries in the Middle East have ramped up oil exports via pipeline to bridge the Strait of Hormuz gap.
Can these pipelines replace the Strait of Hormuz?
No. While these pipelines can take on some of the capacity of Hormuz, their combined capacity is only about 9 million bpd, compared with about 20 million bpd for the strait.
https://www.aljazeera.com/economy/2026/3/27/saudi-uae-iraq-can-three-pipelines-help-oil-escape-strait-of-hormuz
Posted by newsspotter
2 Comments
How does the Saudi ramp-up work? I presume the Saudis had capacity and have simply fully opened the pipeline? I guess the big risk is the Houthis, if they activate again we are back at square one.
No.
Also the pipelines can only move one product. 25% of the petroleum products shipped through the Strait of Hormuz were refined. Also there are no pipelines to move natural gas out of the gulf.