Saudi restores East-West pipeline to 7m bpd after attacks

On April 12, Saudi Arabia’s energy ministry announced it had returned the East‑West pipeline to roughly 7 million barrels per day and recovered about 300,000 barrels per day from the Manifa field. Work to restore full output at the Khurais field is ongoing and will be declared complete when repairs finish.

Earlier attacks in the conflict reduced Saudi production and export capacity. Officials estimate the incidents removed about 600,000 barrels per day of production at peak and cut East‑West pipeline throughput by roughly 700,000 barrels per day. The ministry’s statement said a range of energy facilities were targeted, including oil and gas production, transportation and refining sites, petrochemical facilities and parts of the electricity network in Riyadh, the Eastern Province and Yanbu Industrial City. The statement did not name an attacker.

JPMorgan analysts estimated the combined damage equaled about 10% of Saudi Arabia’s crude exports before the conflict. Oil prices have risen since fighting resumed in late February.

Diplomatic efforts to ease the situation have so far yielded no agreement. Vice President J.D. Vance confirmed that 21 hours of talks with Iranian counterparts in Islamabad produced no deal. Negotiators remain divided on the security of the Strait of Hormuz and on Iran’s nuclear activities. The Strait normally carries roughly 20% of global seaborne oil shipments; an international energy agency described the disruption as the largest supply shock in the history of the global oil market.

The energy ministry credited Aramco’s response for a rapid turnaround, noting the affected volumes were recovered “within a short period of time.” The ministry added that Aramco’s work demonstrated high operational resilience and crisis management efficiency.

The pipeline restoration and the partial recovery at Manifa reduce immediate pressure on oil flows but do not replace volumes lost when shipping through the Strait of Hormuz was disrupted. Traders and energy firms will assess how much the restored East‑West flow eases price pressure when markets open. The ministry said it will announce Khurais’s return to full production once repairs are complete.

The broader conflict has affected other commodity markets, including food, aluminum and liquefied natural gas, according to market reports. Officials and market participants are awaiting further technical updates and diplomatic developments for additional indications of supply conditions.