The near shutdown of the Strait of Hormuz has forced global energy markets to focus on alternative oil transport routes across the Gulf region. Two pipelines—Saudi Arabia’s East-West pipeline and the United Arab Emirates’ Abu Dhabi Crude Oil Pipeline—have emerged as critical infrastructure capable of partially bypassing the strategic maritime chokepoint. As military tensions in the Middle East continue to disrupt tanker traffic, these pipelines are becoming essential to maintaining oil exports from the Gulf. However, analysts warn that while they provide temporary relief, their combined capacity is far from sufficient to fully replace the enormous volume of oil normally shipped through Hormuz.

Saudi Arabia’s East-West Pipeline Provides the Largest Alternative Route

Saudi Arabia’s East-West pipeline network, commonly known as Petroline, represents the largest land-based alternative to shipping crude through the Strait of Hormuz. Stretching roughly 750 miles across the kingdom, the system connects oil fields near Abqaiq on the Persian Gulf coast to the Red Sea export terminal at Yanbu. Following recent expansions, the pipeline has a design capacity of around 7 million barrels per day. Saudi energy giant Aramco has indicated that the network could reach full operational capacity as the conflict intensifies, allowing the kingdom to reroute significant volumes of crude exports away from vulnerable Gulf shipping lanes.

The UAE’s ADCOP Pipeline Adds Additional Export Capacity

The United Arab Emirates operates a second key alternative export route through the Abu Dhabi Crude Oil Pipeline, also known as the Habshan–Fujairah pipeline. This system runs approximately 248 miles from inland oil facilities at Habshan to the port of Fujairah on the Gulf of Oman, enabling shipments that bypass the Strait of Hormuz entirely. The pipeline is estimated to transport about 1.5 million barrels of oil per day, with the potential to increase capacity to roughly 1.8 million barrels if necessary. Current estimates suggest the pipeline is operating at around 71% utilization, leaving some spare capacity that could be deployed if supply disruptions intensify.

Pipeline Capacity Still Falls Short of Hormuz Volumes

Despite their strategic importance, the two pipelines together can only offset a fraction of the nearly 20 million barrels of oil that typically transit through the Strait of Hormuz each day. Energy analysts note that the limited capacity means Gulf producers may still be forced to reduce output if shipping routes remain closed. Additional risks come from potential damage to energy infrastructure, as attacks on facilities across the region increase the vulnerability of pipelines, refineries, and export terminals. Reports of operational disruptions at the UAE’s massive Ruwais refinery further highlight the fragile state of regional energy infrastructure.

Energy Market Outlook

As the conflict continues, global oil markets will remain highly sensitive to developments in Gulf export routes. Increased reliance on pipeline infrastructure could provide temporary stability, but sustained disruptions to maritime transport would likely lead to production cuts across major exporting nations. Such reductions could tighten global energy supplies and drive prices higher, particularly if strategic reserves fail to compensate for lost shipments. Investors and policymakers will be closely monitoring pipeline utilization, refinery activity, and the security of energy infrastructure across the region.