Saudi Arabia Resumes Yanbu Oil Loadings
The restart of the East-West Pipeline is restoring crude shipments from the Red Sea port, although flows remain below pre-attack levels.
Saudi Arabia has resumed oil tanker loadings from its Red Sea port of Yanbu after restarting operations on the East-West Pipeline, according to trade sources and shipping data. The development improves the outlook for crude exports from the Middle East amid continuing disruption to regional oil flows.
The pipeline was shut on September 11 after drone attacks, halting crude exports from Yanbu. Operations on the East-West Pipeline resumed on September 22, and Saudi Aramco has since notified customers of its October loading schedule from Yanbu. A cargo was also loaded at the port late last week.
KEY NUMBERS
Two trade sources estimated Yanbu crude loadings at about 2 million barrels per day, while Kpler estimated current pipeline throughput at around 2.65 million barrels per day.
The current flows remain well below the East-West Pipeline's stated capacity of 7 million barrels per day. Kpler expects throughput to rise to between 3 million and 4 million barrels per day in the coming days, while a return to the pre-attack rate of roughly 5.5 million barrels per day could take another month.
Satellite imagery also indicated a broader recovery in activity at the Red Sea export terminals. Vessel-tracking firm TankerTrackers.com said imagery captured on September 27 showed nearly 10 million barrels of crude being loaded at Yanbu and the Al Muajjiz terminal south of Yanbu, along with refined-product loadings.
EXPORT RECOVERY
Adding gains from Yanbu and Fujairah has lifted Middle East crude exports to just under 80% of their pre-conflict levels, according to Kpler.
The resumption of Yanbu loadings adds to signs that Middle Eastern oil shipments are recovering after disruptions linked to the conflict. Crude movements through the Strait of Hormuz have also increased from their late-July lows, although flows remain below the 2025 average.
The restart has weighed on global oil prices by adding to expectations of increased supply from the region. However, the pace at which the East-West Pipeline returns to normal capacity remains an important factor for the outlook for Saudi and wider Middle Eastern crude exports.