JUST IN: Gulf States Accelerate Plans for New and Expanded Pipeline Routes to Bypass the Strait of Hormuz and Sustain Energy Exports Amid Ongoing Conflict

JUST IN: As Iran’s “toll booth” regime and disruptions from Operation Epic Fury continue to throttle shipping through the Strait of Hormuz, Gulf oil producers — particularly Saudi Arabia and the UAE — are ramping up utilization of existing bypass pipelines and actively considering new routes to keep crude and refined products flowing to global markets without relying on the vulnerable chokepoint.

By Reflecto News Staff
April 2, 2026

RIYADH / ABU DHABI – With commercial traffic through the Strait of Hormuz severely restricted since the launch of Operation Epic Fury on February 28, 2026, major Gulf exporters are turning to overland pipelines as a critical lifeline. Saudi Arabia has already pushed its East-West Pipeline to full capacity of 7 million barrels per day (bpd), while the UAE is maximizing the Habshan–Fujairah (Abu Dhabi Crude Oil Pipeline) route. Discussions are now intensifying on further expansions and potential new corridors to reduce long-term dependence on the strait.

The moves come as Brent crude surged another 6% following President Trump’s vow to hit Iran “extremely hard” over the next 2–3 weeks, heightening fears of prolonged instability in the world’s most important energy artery.

Existing Bypass Pipelines Already in Heavy Use

Gulf states have long prepared contingency infrastructure precisely for scenarios like the current crisis:

• Saudi Arabia’s East-West Pipeline (Petroline): This 1,200+ km twin-pipeline system transports crude from the Eastern Province oil fields (near Abqaiq) to the Red Sea port of Yanbu. Capacity: up to 7 million bpd.
  Flows have surged dramatically — from an average of under 1 million bpd pre-crisis to a record 5.9 million bpd in early March, now operating at full mechanical limit. Exports from Yanbu have risen sharply, helping offset some of the lost Hormuz volumes while also supplying local Red Sea refineries.
• UAE’s Abu Dhabi Crude Oil Pipeline (ADCOP / Habshan–Fujairah): This 1.5–1.8 million bpd pipeline runs from onshore fields in Abu Dhabi to the port of Fujairah on the Gulf of Oman (outside the strait).
  Utilization has increased significantly, with exports from Fujairah averaging around 1.6–1.8 million bpd in March. The UAE has also built substantial underground storage at Fujairah (up to 42 million barrels) to buffer exports.

Together, these two pipelines provide roughly 8–9 million bpd of bypass capacity — meaningful but far short of the 15–20+ million bpd that normally transit the strait daily. Additional volumes are being rerouted where possible, including limited Iraqi exports via the Iraq–Türkiye pipeline.

New Pipeline Routes Under Consideration

Gulf states, leveraging sovereign wealth funds and private investment, are now evaluating expansions and entirely new corridors to achieve greater resilience:

• UAE Expansion Plans: ADNOC has previously discussed adding another 1.5 million bpd capacity linking offshore fields to Fujairah. A longer-term proposal involves a route to Oman’s port of Duqm (a major refining and storage hub on the Arabian Sea), estimated to cost around $10 billion but potentially paying for itself quickly at current high oil prices.
• Broader Regional Proposals: Discussions include enhanced connections across Saudi Arabia, potential extensions involving Iraq, and even ambitious (though geopolitically complex) overland routes to the Mediterranean via Jordan or other pathways. Some analysts have floated ideas for pipelines that could eventually bypass both Hormuz and the Suez Canal.
• Investment Appeal: With wartime oil prices elevated, these projects offer rapid returns. Experts note that a new pipeline to Fujairah or Duqm could recoup costs in weeks to months under current market conditions. Gulf sovereign wealth funds are positioned to finance much of the work, with invitations possible for friendly international partners.

These initiatives build on pre-crisis foresight: both Saudi Arabia and the UAE invested billions years ago in bypass infrastructure precisely to mitigate risks from Iranian threats or regional conflicts.

Strategic and Economic Motivations

The push for bypass routes serves multiple goals:

• Energy Security: Reducing vulnerability to Iran’s selective transit system, mines, fast-attack boats, or retaliatory disruptions.
• Maintaining Revenue: Keeping exports flowing to key customers in Asia (especially China) and Europe despite Hormuz restrictions.
• Global Market Stability: Helping cap further oil price spikes that have already contributed to higher gasoline costs worldwide.
• Long-Term Diversification: Shifting away from over-reliance on a single narrow chokepoint that handles roughly one-fifth of global oil consumption.

However, limitations remain: existing pipelines cannot fully replace Hormuz volumes, land routes face capacity constraints, security risks (including reported Iranian strikes on facilities like Fujairah), and new construction would take years for large-scale impact.

Reactions and Broader Context

Gulf Perspective: Saudi Arabia and the UAE view these pipelines as proven contingency tools now operating under real-world stress. Officials emphasize the need for accelerated investment in alternatives to make the strait “irrelevant” over time.

Iranian Side: Tehran continues to enforce its “toll booth” system for approved vessels while projecting resilience. Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi has warned against U.S. threats, and President Masoud Pezeshkian has reiterated that Iran harbors “no enmity towards ordinary Americans.”

U.S. and International Angle: President Trump’s recent address signaling intensified strikes over the next 2–3 weeks has added urgency. The UK-hosted meeting of around 35 countries this week aims to address diplomatic reopening of the strait, but pipeline diversification provides Gulf states with independent leverage.

Oil Markets: The latest surge in Brent crude underscores ongoing volatility. While bypass pipelines have prevented a total collapse in supply, they offer only partial relief.

Looking Ahead

As Operation Epic Fury continues — with U.S. A-10 Warthog deployments and discussions of high-risk operations to seize enriched uranium — Gulf states’ pipeline strategy represents a pragmatic hedge against prolonged conflict. Short-term maximization of existing routes is already underway; longer-term expansions could reshape regional energy infrastructure for decades.

Whether these efforts, combined with diplomacy, succeed in stabilizing global energy flows will depend on the trajectory of the conflict and any eventual resolution in the Strait of Hormuz.

Reflecto News will monitor pipeline flow data, new investment announcements, outcomes from the UK meeting, and any Iranian responses.

Related Coverage on Reflecto News:

• Brent Crude Oil Prices Surge 6% Following Trump’s Vow to Hit Iran “Extremely Hard”
• President Trump Vows to “Finish the Job” Against Iran
• Russia Claims US Unable to Reopen Strait of Hormuz
• Iran’s “Toll Booth” Regime in the Strait of Hormuz
• UK to Host Meeting of 35 Countries on Reopening Strait of Hormuz
• Operation Epic Fury: Latest Developments

This report draws from statements and data reported by Al Jazeera, CNBC, Reuters, The National, and other industry sources tracking Gulf energy infrastructure during the 2026 conflict.