Saudi Arabia Plans 10 Million BPD Crude Oil Export Capacity

Saudi Arabia is planning to expand its pipeline-based crude oil export capacity to as much as 10 million barrels per day (bpd), as the kingdom seeks to strengthen its ability to move oil to international markets amid disruptions to Gulf shipping routes. Energy Minister Prince Abdulaziz bin Salman announced the plan on October 12, 2026, at the World Petroleum Congress in Riyadh.

The proposal involves temporarily converting a domestic gas pipeline to transport crude oil and upgrading the existing East-West pipeline network. The temporary conversion could add 1.2 million bpd of export capacity within seven to eight weeks, while further investments could increase capacity by as much as 3 million bpd. The longer-term objective is to expand the volume of oil that can be redirected through pipelines toward export terminals outside the Persian Gulf.

Key takeaways

• 10 million bpd target: Saudi Arabia wants to raise its pipeline-based crude oil export capacity to as much as 10 million bpd.
• Short-term increase: Converting a domestic gas pipeline for oil transport could add 1.2 million bpd within seven to eight weeks.
• Further expansion: The energy minister said additional investment could increase capacity by up to 3 million bpd.
• Existing infrastructure: Upgrades to pumping stations and the East-West pipeline network are central to the plan.
• Temporary arrangement: The converted gas pipeline is expected to carry oil until May 2027 before being cleaned and returned to gas service ahead of summer.
• Energy security: The expansion aims to improve Saudi Arabia’s ability to redirect exports when conventional maritime routes are disrupted.
• Important distinction: Pipeline export capacity is not the same as actual oil production, total exports or the amount of additional crude available to the global market.

Why Saudi Arabia Wants to Expand Oil Export Capacity

Saudi Arabia is one of the world’s most important oil producers and a major supplier to international energy markets. Its ability to deliver crude reliably is important for oil-importing economies, refineries and global energy prices.

However, producing oil is only one part of the export process. Crude must also be transported from production areas to terminals and loaded onto tankers that can reach customers. Disruptions to pipelines, ports or maritime chokepoints can reduce the volume that reaches buyers even when production capacity remains available.

The kingdom’s latest plan addresses this transportation challenge. By increasing the amount of crude that can move through pipelines toward alternative export terminals, Saudi Arabia hopes to reduce its dependence on routes exposed to regional security risks.

The announcement comes amid escalating tensions in the Middle East, including attacks affecting Saudi infrastructure and concerns about shipping through the Strait of Hormuz and the Red Sea. Reuters has reported that disruptions to Gulf energy routes have forced producers and oil companies to reconsider how they transport crude and refined products.

For Saudi Arabia, additional pipeline capacity would provide another option when tanker movements through the Gulf become difficult. It would not eliminate every risk, but it could improve the country’s ability to reroute supplies when circumstances permit.

How the 10 Million BPD Plan Will Work

The expansion relies on two main measures: temporarily repurposing a domestic gas pipeline and upgrading the existing East-West oil transportation network.

1. Converting a gas pipeline to carry crude

Saudi Arabia could add around 1.2 million bpd of export capacity within seven to eight weeks by temporarily converting a domestic gas pipeline to transport crude oil, according to the energy minister.

The government has authorised Saudi Aramco to use the pipeline for oil transport until May 2027. It will then need to be cleaned and returned to its original gas service before the summer season.

The arrangement is intended to provide a relatively rapid increase in transportation capacity without waiting for a completely new pipeline to be constructed. Repurposing existing infrastructure can be faster than building a new route, although the practical increase depends on engineering work, operating conditions and connections to the wider network.

The temporary nature of the conversion is important. The additional capacity is not necessarily a permanent increase in Saudi Arabia’s oil transportation system. Once the pipeline returns to gas service, the extra oil-carrying capacity from that conversion would no longer be available in the same form.

2. Upgrading the East-West pipeline

Saudi Arabia also plans to invest in its East-West pipeline network, including pumping stations and related infrastructure. These upgrades could help the kingdom move more crude from its eastern production areas toward export terminals on the Red Sea coast.

The energy minister said that further investment could increase capacity by as much as 3 million bpd, with the broader objective of reaching pipeline export capacity of around 10 million bpd over the next two to three years.

Pumping stations are particularly important because pipelines require sufficient pressure and flow capacity to move large volumes over long distances. Expanding capacity can therefore involve more than installing additional pipe: operators may also need to upgrade pumps, power systems, control equipment and connections to terminals.

The announcement sets out a capacity target and investment direction, but it does not provide a complete project-by-project schedule, cost estimate or detailed breakdown of all required upgrades.

Saudi Arabia’s Oil Export Capacity at a Glance

Measure	Announced plan or status
Long-term pipeline export capacity target	Up to 10 million bpd
Capacity from temporary gas pipeline conversion	Up to 1.2 million bpd
Estimated time for temporary conversion	Seven to eight weeks
Potential additional capacity with further investment	Up to 3 million bpd
Expected use of converted pipeline	Until May 2027
Longer-term network expansion	Around two to three years
Key infrastructure	Domestic gas pipeline, East-West pipeline, pumping stations
Main objective	Improve flexibility to redirect crude exports

These figures describe planned and potential transportation capacity, not a guarantee that Saudi Arabia will produce or export 10 million barrels of crude every day. Actual exports depend on production, domestic demand, commercial decisions, pipeline availability, terminal operations and global market conditions.

What Is the East-West Pipeline?

Saudi Arabia’s East-West pipeline is a strategic oil transportation route connecting production areas in the eastern part of the kingdom with export facilities on the Red Sea coast. It provides an alternative to moving all crude through terminals in the Persian Gulf.

The route is important because oil shipped from the eastern Gulf region can be exposed to disruptions around the Strait of Hormuz, a narrow waterway linking the Persian Gulf with the Gulf of Oman and the wider ocean. A substantial share of internationally traded oil normally passes through this chokepoint.

By moving crude westward through the kingdom, Saudi Arabia can direct some shipments toward Red Sea terminals, including Yanbu. Tankers departing from the Red Sea can then serve customers through routes that do not require them to pass through the Strait of Hormuz.

The system nevertheless has limitations. Pipeline capacity, terminal loading capability and the availability of tankers all influence how much oil can actually be exported. Red Sea shipping also faces its own security risks, particularly around the Bab el-Mandeb Strait and routes toward the Suez Canal.

An alternative route therefore improves flexibility rather than guaranteeing uninterrupted deliveries under every scenario.

Recent Disruptions Highlight the Importance of Alternative Routes

The expansion plan follows a period of heightened pressure on regional energy infrastructure and shipping. Attacks and other security disruptions have highlighted the vulnerability of concentrated transportation routes, even for countries with substantial production resources.

On October 6, Saudi Energy Minister Prince Abdulaziz said the operational capacity of the East-West pipeline had been restored to 5.8 million bpd. The announcement followed earlier disruptions to infrastructure, according to Saudi media reporting cited by Al Jazeera and Reuters.

The restoration is significant because the pipeline provides a means of moving crude toward Red Sea export terminals when Gulf shipping routes are under pressure. It also demonstrates why nominal capacity and operating capacity must be distinguished: an existing pipeline may have a high design capacity but be unable to deliver that volume during an outage or operational disruption.

The latest plan seeks to add more flexibility beyond the existing system. A temporary gas pipeline conversion could provide a short-term buffer, while upgrades to pumping stations and related facilities could increase longer-term transportation capability.

The timing also reflects the broader challenge facing oil exporters. Even when production remains available, attacks on infrastructure, tanker disruptions or restricted access to maritime chokepoints can delay deliveries and increase transport costs.

What the Plan Means for Global Oil Supply

Additional pipeline capacity could help Saudi Arabia keep more crude moving during a disruption. If the kingdom can redirect shipments away from a constrained maritime route, it may reduce the severity of a supply interruption for some customers.

That would be relevant to countries that rely on Saudi crude, including major oil-importing economies in Asia. Refiners depend not only on the availability of crude but also on predictable delivery schedules, suitable grades and manageable transportation costs.

However, more export capacity does not automatically mean more oil will enter the market. The plan concerns the ability to transport crude, rather than a commitment to raise production by the same amount.

Actual supply growth would depend on Saudi Arabia’s production decisions, market demand and the wider OPEC+ framework. If production remains unchanged, additional pipeline capacity could mainly change the route used to transport existing volumes rather than increase the total number of barrels available to buyers.

The distinction matters for oil prices. Markets may value additional transportation flexibility because it reduces the risk of severe delivery interruptions. But the effect on prices will depend on whether the investment leads to more reliable deliveries, how the regional conflict develops and whether other producers can compensate for any lost supply.

The announcement alone is not enough to conclude that global oil prices will fall. Oil prices also reflect demand expectations, inventories, production policies, shipping costs, financial market positioning and geopolitical developments.

Implications for India and Other Asian Importers

India is a major crude oil importer, and the reliability of supplies from the Middle East is an important consideration for its energy security. Saudi Arabia is one of the suppliers Indian refiners can turn to when balancing crude grades, pricing, freight costs and contractual requirements.

A stronger Saudi pipeline network could help maintain deliveries if a disruption makes some Gulf shipping routes difficult to use. Greater flexibility at the export stage could support the continuity of supplies to Asian customers, depending on the location of available cargoes and the routes tankers can safely take.

For India, however, the benefits would not be automatic or immediate. Indian refiners would still need to secure cargoes, arrange shipping and assess the economics of each crude grade. Freight and insurance costs could remain elevated even if Saudi Arabia successfully diverts oil to alternative terminals.

The impact on domestic fuel prices would also depend on global crude benchmarks, currency movements, refinery margins, taxes and domestic pricing decisions. Additional pipeline capacity could reduce one source of supply risk, but it would not independently determine petrol, diesel or aviation fuel prices in India.

The development is therefore best understood as a potential improvement in the resilience of an important supplier, rather than a direct promise of cheaper fuel for Indian consumers.

What It Means for Saudi Aramco

Saudi Aramco is central to the plan because it operates the kingdom’s oil production and transportation infrastructure. The temporary pipeline conversion and network upgrades will require coordination between crude supply, pipeline operations, storage facilities and export terminals.

The investments may improve Aramco’s ability to move crude when conventional routes are disrupted. More flexibility can be valuable even if the additional capacity is not used continuously, because infrastructure is also assessed by its ability to respond during periods of stress.

At the same time, major pipeline projects require capital and careful operating decisions. Converting a gas pipeline to oil service means the line must be prepared for a different commodity and later returned to its original purpose. Pumping-station upgrades also need to be integrated with the wider network to produce a meaningful increase in throughput.

The temporary conversion presents a trade-off: it can increase oil transportation capacity in the near term, but the pipeline is expected to return to gas service in May 2027. The longer-term East-West expansion is therefore important to the goal of sustaining higher export capacity.

The minister has not provided a complete public cost estimate for the full expansion in the reported announcement. The final economics will depend on the scale of the upgrades, the operating period and how the additional flexibility is used.

Risks and Limitations to Watch

Several factors could affect whether Saudi Arabia reaches its target.

First, pipeline capacity is only one part of the export chain. Storage, pumping equipment, terminal capacity and tanker availability must be able to handle the increased flow. Bottlenecks elsewhere could limit the benefits of upgrades.

Second, the temporary gas pipeline conversion has a defined operating window. Its contribution will be time-limited unless another arrangement is made, and the line must be returned to gas service before the summer season.

Third, alternative export routes are not free from geopolitical risk. Red Sea shipping can be affected by attacks, insurance costs and restrictions on vessel movements. A route that bypasses the Strait of Hormuz may still encounter disruptions farther along the journey.

Finally, the capacity target should not be confused with actual exports. Oil production decisions, domestic consumption and market conditions will determine how much crude is available for shipment. Even a fully upgraded network can remain underused if the supply or commercial conditions do not support higher flows.

Investors and oil-market participants will therefore need to monitor project execution and actual export data rather than relying on the headline target alone.

The Bigger Picture

Saudi Arabia’s proposed expansion reflects a broader shift in energy security planning. Oil producers and consumers are increasingly focused not just on how much oil can be produced, but on whether it can be transported through multiple routes when conflict, infrastructure failures or maritime restrictions disrupt normal trade.

The temporary gas pipeline conversion offers a near-term measure, while upgrades to the East-West network could provide a more durable increase in flexibility. The strategy could help Saudi Arabia maintain deliveries during some disruptions, although it cannot remove all risks associated with regional shipping or guarantee a higher volume of crude in the global market.

Looking Ahead

The first milestone is whether the temporary conversion delivers the announced additional capacity of up to 1.2 million bpd within seven to eight weeks. Attention will then turn to the planned investment in pumping stations and the East-West pipeline, including the timing, cost and operational details of the longer-term expansion. Saudi Arabia’s ability to move crude through alternative terminals will be a key measure of whether the plan strengthens its resilience in practice.

For global oil markets, the crucial question will be how the extra capacity translates into actual shipments. If it helps maintain deliveries during disruptions, it could reduce some supply risks for refiners and importing countries. But production policy, demand, shipping security and geopolitical conditions will continue to influence prices. The 10-million-bpd target is an infrastructure ambition, not a guarantee of 10 million barrels of daily exports or an immediate increase in global oil supply.