RIYADH — Saudi Arabia shut down its strategic East-West Pipeline as a precaution after it was subjected to multiple attacks in the Riyadh and Madinah regions, the Ministry of Energy said Friday.
An official source at the ministry said the attacks took place Thursday morning and resulted in a number of injuries. Those affected received medical care.
Emergency and specialized technical teams responded immediately, taking measures to secure the pipeline and assess its safety in accordance with approved safety procedures and emergency response plans, in coordination with relevant authorities.
The ministry said further developments would be announced in due course.
The shutdown takes on added significance because the East-West Pipeline has become a key route for Saudi crude exports since the outbreak of the US-Iran war and the effective closure of the Strait of Hormuz.
Saudi Arabia has rerouted about 5 million barrels of oil per day that would otherwise have been shipped from terminals in the Arabian Gulf, sending the crude instead through the East-West Pipeline to the Red Sea port of Yanbu.
The pipeline provides the Kingdom with a strategic alternative to the Strait of Hormuz, allowing crude produced in eastern Saudi Arabia to reach export facilities on the Red Sea.
Source: Saudi Gazette