Key facts
- Saudi Arabia's East-West oil pipeline is expected to resume operations soon.
- US Energy Secretary Chris Wright stated that the pipeline was shut down following a strike.
- The pipeline is a principal route for Saudi crude to reach the Red Sea coast without transiting the Strait of Hormuz.
- The US plans to begin refilling its Strategic Petroleum Reserve in the coming months.
Saudi Arabia's East-West oil pipeline is expected to resume operations "soon" after being shut down following a strike, according to US Energy Secretary Chris Wright. The pipeline is a critical artery for Saudi crude oil, allowing it to reach the Red Sea coast and bypass the Strait of Hormuz, a chokepoint that has seen increased tensions. Wright indicated that such strikes on energy infrastructure are not new and that Saudi Arabia has proven resourceful in the past.