Riyadh: Saudi Aramco, the world’s largest oil company, is exploring crude exports through the Red Sea after Iran shut the Strait of Hormuz amid escalating war tensions in West Asia.
The closure has disrupted one of the world’s key oil shipping corridors, leaving cargo vessels stranded in the Gulf and affecting oil supplies to several countries, including India. The situation has pushed producers to look for alternative routes to keep deliveries moving.
Aramco, which typically ships via the Gulf, is considering using a pipeline that carries crude from oilfields in Saudi Arabia’s east to the Red Sea in the west, with a capacity of about 5 million barrels. The company has also sought feedback from Asian customers and is discussing whether crude can be lifted from the Yanbu port.
However, the Red Sea route is not seen as fully secure. Iran-backed Houthi militants in Yemen have warned of renewed attacks on ships in the area, prompting caution among major shipping firms.
Aramco has already faced disruption after a drone attack by Iran on its Ras Tanura refinery, one of the company’s largest facilities, according to the report.
