Saudi Oil Shock for Europe: Aramco to Halt Crude Deliveries After Key Pipeline Attack
Saudi Aramco has informed several European refiners that it will suspend crude oil deliveries next month following a drone attack on a major transit pipeline, according to industry sources and media reports on Friday.
Saudi Aramco has informed several European refiners that it will suspend crude oil deliveries next month following a drone attack on a major transit pipeline, according to industry sources and media reports on Friday. The sudden disruption comes as a fresh blow to European energy buyers reliant on Saudi supplies under long-term contracts.
The suspension follows an attack last week targeting Saudi Arabia’s 1,200-kilometer (745-mile) East-West Pipeline, which traverses the Arabian Peninsula to the Red Sea. Satellite imagery and industry assessments revealed that three pumping stations along the critical artery sustained damage, shutting down operations. Saudi authorities attributed the drone strike to Iranian-backed militias operating out of Iraq.  Houthis Claim Strikes on Saudi Crude Oil Infrastructure After Drone Attack in Al-Jawf Governorate.
The East-West Pipeline has served as a pivotal bypass for global energy markets over the past six months, allowing Middle Eastern exports to route around the largely impassable Strait of Hormuz amid ongoing regional conflict. Transporting between 4 million and 5 million barrels per day—roughly 4% to 5% of global crude supply—the facility had previously insulated Saudi Arabia from broader transit disruptions affecting neighboring Gulf exporters.
The abrupt halt has forced European buyers into a scramble for alternative supplies. Polish refiner Orlen SA has already issued more than 10 procurement tenders since last Friday in an effort to secure replacement cargoes. European member nations of the OECD imported approximately 577,000 barrels per day of Saudi crude in June, according to data from the International Energy Agency. Saudi Arabia Issues Emergency Alerts for Taif, Jeddah and Other Cities Amid Houthi Escalation.
With no clear timeline for repairs to the damaged pumping infrastructure, the suspension threatens to tighten European oil inventories and push regional refining margins higher in the coming weeks.
(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Sep 18, 2026 08:26 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).
