Saudi Arabia is increasing crude oil flows through its East-West Pipeline towards the Red Sea coast, although tanker loadings from the Yanbu export hub have yet to resume following an earlier shutdown, according to industry sources cited by Reuters.
Satellite imagery and shipping data also indicate that operations are gradually recovering after the kingdom restarted the pipeline this week.
The facility had stopped operating earlier this month following a drone attack. Saudi Arabia subsequently began restoring crude movements through the strategic pipeline, which connects oil-producing areas in the east with facilities on the Red Sea coast.
However, the return of seaborne exports is proceeding more slowly than initially expected.
Crude Reaches Red Sea Refineries as Export Restart Faces Delay
An industry source said crude oil is currently flowing through the East-West Pipeline to Saudi refineries located along the Red Sea coast.
Nevertheless, tankers have not yet resumed loading crude at Yanbu.
Two additional industry sources separately confirmed that tanker loading remained suspended, according to Reuters.
The delay comes despite earlier expectations that crude tanker loading would restart on Tuesday following the restoration of pipeline operations.
Yanbu Export Operations Await Full Resumption
Meanwhile, the increased pipeline flows indicate that Saudi Arabia is progressively restoring the infrastructure after the disruption.
The East-West Pipeline provides the kingdom with an important route for moving crude from its eastern oil-producing regions to the Red Sea, allowing supplies to reach western refineries and export terminals.
However, moving crude through the pipeline and restarting tanker exports represent separate stages of the recovery process.
The supplied information did not specify when tanker loading at Yanbu would resume or identify any additional operational issues delaying the restart.
Consequently, while higher pipeline volumes signal progress, the full restoration of crude exports through Yanbu remains incomplete.
Shipping activity and tanker movements at the Red Sea terminal will provide further indications of when Saudi export operations return to normal.
Saudi Arabia increases crude flows through East-West Pipeline, tanker loadings yet to resume
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Saudi Arabia is increasing crude volumes through its East-West Pipeline to the Red Sea export hub of Yanbu, although shipments onto crude tankers have not yet resumed, according to… pic.twitter.com/3NlWFtbYAQ— The Cradle (@TheCradleMedia) September 24, 2026
