Key facts
- Satellite images showed smoke near Saudi Arabia's East-West oil pipeline.
- Saudi authorities did not immediately report any incident.
- The East-West Pipeline allows crude oil to bypass the Strait of Hormuz.
- NASA thermal data showed heat signatures above 70 MW lasting hours across multiple points.
- The pipeline transports crude from Abqaiq on the Gulf coast to Yanbu on the Red Sea.
- The pipeline has a stated capacity of around 7 million barrels per day.
Satellite images revealed significant smoke plumes and sustained thermal hotspots near Saudi Arabia's East-West oil pipeline, a crucial energy artery for the kingdom. The images, shared by Clash Report and Egypt's Intel Observer, indicated a smoke plume approximately 100 km long and heat signatures exceeding 70 MW across multiple points along the pipeline corridor southeast of Medina. NASA's FIRMS system also recorded these thermal anomalies. Saudi authorities have not yet issued a statement regarding any incident. The East-West Pipeline, also known as Petroline, is vital for Saudi Arabia as it provides an overland route to transport crude oil from the eastern coast to the Red Sea port of Yanbu, bypassing the Strait of Hormuz. The pipeline has a stated capacity of around 7 million barrels per day and has become increasingly important amid disruptions to other key shipping lanes. The reported event occurs amidst heightened tensions and escalating Houthi attacks in the region, which have already impacted traffic through the Bab al-Mandeb Strait and the Strait of Hormuz.