A potential expansion of the east-west route to Yanbu would help bypass the Strait of Hormuz, though sources said the project could take years and cost billions of dollars.
Saudi Arabia is considering expanding crude pipeline capacity to its Red Sea coast, with five sources saying the plan could add about 1 million to 2 million barrels per day to an export route that avoids the Strait of Hormuz, a critical Gulf shipping chokepoint. The kingdom's east-west pipeline currently carries up to 7 million bpd to Yanbu on the Red Sea. The project may also include a smaller refined-products line, but the sources said it could take years to complete and cost billions of dollars.