Saudi oil pipeline hit in strikes to be 'out of service for several weeks'

A crucial Saudi oil pipeline that was struck in an attack last week will mostly be out of service for weeks as the damage is repaired, two regional officials told reporters.

The East-West Pipeline, which runs across the kingdom, is key to Saudi Arabia's strategy of shifting its oil exports to the Red Sea to avoid the Strait of Hormuz, where Iranian attacks have stifled shipping. The 1,200-kilometre pipeline can carry up to 7 million barrels of oil a day

An attack that Saudi Arabia blamed on drones from Iranian-backed militias in Iraq forced the shutdown of the pipeline on Thursday.

The officials, who have been briefed on the matter, said repairing the damage could take three to five weeks, including at a major pumping facility. One of the officials said the line may work partially while teams carry out the repairs.

The officials spoke on condition of anonymity because they weren't authorised to brief the media.

The Saudi oil company Aramco, which operates the pipeline, didn't immediately respond to a request for comment. The government-run Center for International Communication, which oversees foreign media in the kingdom, said it was looking into an AP inquiry about how long it will take to repair the pipeline.

Associated Press