[Sources: Saudi Arabia Plans to Expand Red Sea Oil Pipeline, Bypassing Strait of Hormuz with an Additional 2 Million Barrels Per Day Capacity] Golden Finance reported on July 7 that five informed sources revealed Saudi Arabia is considering expanding the oil pipeline capacity to its Red Sea west coast, enabling Saudi Arabia and its neighboring countries to transport more oil without passing through the Strait of Hormuz. This east-west pipeline, built in the early 1980s, has grown in strategic importance since the outbreak of the Iran war in February and the disruption of shipping through the Strait of Hormuz. The pipeline can transport up to 7 million barrels of crude oil per day to the Red Sea's Yanbu port. Saudi Aramco's CEO stated in May that approximately 2 million barrels are supplied to west coast refineries, while around 5 million barrels are designated for export. Sources indicated that Saudi Arabia is in preliminary discussions with some neighboring countries about expanding the pipeline's capacity, planning to add approximately 2 million barrels per day. It is currently unclear whether Aramco's expansion plan involves upgrading existing infrastructure or constructing a new pipeline. One source mentioned that the expansion plan also includes a smaller refined oil pipeline. Two sources noted that the expansion scale could range from 1 million to 2 million barrels per day, with refined oil also being considered. Another source stated that the project would take several years, cost billions of dollars, and require adjustments to Saudi Arabia's crude oil pricing mechanism. (Jin10)