East-West Crude Oil Pipeline
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East-West Crude Oil Pipeline, خط أنابيب شرق-غرب also known as the Petroline and Abqaiq-Yanbu oil pipeline, is an oil pipeline in Saudi Arabia.[1]
Location
The pipeline runs from Abqaiq in Eastern Saudi Arabia, to the Yanbu Oil Terminal on Saudi Arabia's Red Sea Coast.
Project details
- Operator: Saudi Aramco[1]
- Owner:Saudi Aramco[1]
- Parent company: Saudi Aramco
- Capacity: 5,000,000 barrels per day
- Length: 1,200 kilometers[2]
- Diameter: 56/48 inch[3][4]
- Status: Operating
- Start year: 1982
- Cost:
- Financing:
- Associated infrastructure:
Background
The East-West crude oil pipeline is 1,200 kilometers long and consists of two pipelines, one measuring 48 inches and another at 56 inches in diameter. The pipeline runs from the oil fields in Saudi Arabia's eastern province to the port at Yanbu along the Red Sea. The pipeline was built in 1981 and its capacity was increased to 5 million bpd in 1992. The 56-inch pipeline transports oil while the 48-inch pipeline has the ability to transport natural gas, which also power the 65 turbines along the line.[5] There are also 11 pumping stations and two breaking stations.[6] In 2014, the 56-inch pipeline was operating at a 2 million bpd capacity while the parallel 48-inch pipeline was converted to transport oil, significantly increasing the pipeline system's capacity to its 5 million bpd potential.[5] In 2016, Aramco planned to expand the pipeline's capacity from 5 million bpd to 7 million bpd by 2018, a 40% increase.[7]
The East-West pipeline was built in 1981, shortly before Aramco's Trans-Arabian Pipeline to the Mediterranean fell mostly into disuse, providing an alternative outlet for Saudi oil exports through the Red Sea instead. The East-West pipeline was built by the state-owned General Petroleum and Mineral Organization (Petromin), while Aramco constructed a parallel pipeline for transporting natural-gas liquids, which reached Yanbuʿin 1981. Aramco has since become a state-owned company of Saudi Arabia and operates both pipelines.[8]
In May of 2019, the East-West pipeline was targeted by drone attacks likely delaying completion of the expansion project.[9] Saudi Arabia blamed the bombing on Iran-backed Yemeni rebels in response to the Saudi led Coalition's attacks on Yemen.[10][9]
Expansion Projects
Capacity Expansion
- Operator: Saudi Aramco[1]
- Owner: Saudi Aramco[1]
- Parent company: Saudi Aramco[1]
- Capacity: 2,000,000 barrels per day[3]
- Diameter: 48 in[11]
- Length: 536 km[11]
- Status: Shelved
- Start year:
- Cost:
- Financing:
- Associated infrastructure:
In May of 2019, the East-West pipeline was targeted by drone attacks likely delaying completion of the expansion project.[9] Saudi Arabia blamed the bombing on Iran-backed Yemeni rebels in response to the Saudi led Coalition's attacks on Yemen.[9][10]
As of July 2019, Saudi Aramco still expected to finish the expansion project by September despite the attacks, increasing the line’s capacity from 5 to 7 MMbpd.[9] However, in August 2019, the reported expected start date was October 2019, but according Saudi Aramco international bond prospectus, the projects completion is scheduled for 2023.
As of January 2023, there were no development updates, and the expansion is presumed to be shelveld.
Articles and resources
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 East-West Crude Oil Pipeline, A Barrel Full, accessed September 2017
- ↑ Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries. "OPEC Annual Statistical Bulletin 2017" (PDF). OPEC.org. Retrieved August 11, 2020.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link) - ↑ 3.0 3.1 "Saudi Aramco Seeks $7.5 Billion Loan for Pipeline Investors". pgjonline.com. Retrieved 2023-01-25.
- ↑ "معلومات مفصلة عن محطتي النفط المستهدفتين بالسعودية". العربية (in العربية). Retrieved 2023-02-06.
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 Country Analysis Brief: Saudi Arabia, U.S. Energy Information Administration, September 10, 2014
- ↑ Aramco East/West Pipeline Upgrade, Offshore Technology, accessed October 2017
- ↑ Saudi Aramco Plans Big Boost in Capacity of 1200-km East/West Pipeline, Pipeline Technology Journal, June 03, 2016
- ↑ Saudi Arabia, Britannica, accessed October 2017
- ↑ 9.0 9.1 9.2 9.3 9.4 Saudi Aramco to reduce reliance on Hormuz with pipeline expansion World Oil, July 25, 2019
- ↑ 10.0 10.1 Ahmed Abdulkareem, Saudis Blame Iran for Aramco Strikes But Retaliate by Bombing Yemeni Civilians Mint Press News, September 24, 2019
- ↑ 11.0 11.1 "C.A.T Group PDF" (PDF).
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
