UAE Weighs Third Oil Pipeline to Bypass Strait of Hormuz

The United Arab Emirates is considering a third crude export pipeline to bypass the Strait of Hormuz, as the country seeks to reduce its reliance on the waterway.

Abu Dhabi National Oil Co., or ADNOC, is weighing a route from the UAE’s western coast to Fujairah on its eastern coast, according to Bloomberg, although the company disputed the account.

“We have advised Bloomberg that this report is not accurate and purely speculative,” an ADNOC spokesperson said.

The proposed pipeline could be available to third parties, Bloomberg reported.

It would supplement an operating link and a second pipeline scheduled to begin service next year, providing another means of delivering crude if shipping through Hormuz is disrupted.

ADNOC has discussed the proposal with some Asian customers, according to people cited by Bloomberg.

The plans have not been finalized, and details including the route could change.

Fujairah Capacity

ADNOC's existing pipeline carries crude from onshore fields in the western UAE to Fujairah and can transport about 2 million barrels a day.

The company said in May that it was accelerating construction of a second line, targeting completion next year and doubling transportation capacity.

Bloomberg reported last month that ADNOC told some Asian refiners that supplies through that link could be collected at Fujairah in early 2027.

The pipeline projects form part of a broader UAE effort to end its dependence on Hormuz.

Foreign Trade Minister Thani Al Zeyoudi said earlier this year that the country planned investment in pipelines, railways and roads, alongside major expansion of at least three eastern ports.

The strait was effectively closed at the height of the Iran war. More vessels are now passing through, but ships continue to face frequent attacks.

Bypass Routes Face Attacks

Saudi Arabia also plans to expand its East-West pipeline, which was its main crude export route during the conflict, and is considering additional links.

Kuwait, whose exports depend entirely on Hormuz, is discussing pipeline alternatives with Saudi Arabia and the UAE, according to Sheikh Nawaf Al-Sabah, chief executive of its state-run oil company.

Those alternatives carry security risks of their own.

Fujairah has been attacked several times during the Iran war, while Saudi Arabia’s East-West pipeline temporarily stopped operating after an attack in September.