The United Arab Emirates, UAE, has moved to speed up the construction of a major new oil pipeline designed to bypass the strategically important Strait of Hormuz following disruptions to exports caused by the ongoing conflict in the Middle East.
According to official reports released on Friday, the planned West-East Pipeline will significantly expand the export capacity of the state-owned oil company, Abu Dhabi National Oil Company, through Fujairah Port and is expected to become operational next year.
The development was announced by the Abu Dhabi Media Office, which stated that Crown Prince Sheikh Khaled bin Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan had instructed ADNOC to fast-track delivery of the strategic project.
The UAE already operates an existing 360-kilometre pipeline linking the Habshan oil fields to Fujairah, with an estimated capacity of about 1.8 million barrels of oil per day, according to information published by the Port of Fujairah.
The new project is expected to double ADNOC’s export capacity through Fujairah, further strengthening the country’s oil transportation network outside the Strait of Hormuz, a vital global shipping route frequently affected by regional tensions.
The UAE, which recently withdrew from Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries earlier this month, has also announced plans to increase its oil production capacity to five million barrels per day by next year.
Oil infrastructure in Fujairah has faced repeated attacks since the escalation of the Middle East conflict. In one of the latest incidents on May 4, three Indian nationals were reportedly injured following an attack on oil facilities in the area.
Iran war: UAE fast-tracks new oil pipeline to bypass Strait of Hormuz