[Saudi Arabia Plans to Increase Onshore Oil Transport Capacity to 10 Million Barrels Per Day, Establishing an Alternative Energy Transport Route] BlockBeats News, October 12 – Saudi Energy Minister Abdulaziz bin Salman recently stated that Saudi Arabia plans to increase its onshore oil transport capacity bypassing the Strait of Hormuz to 10 million barrels per day within the next two to three years, aiming to reduce reliance on the Persian Gulf shipping route. Currently, Saudi Arabia's East-West oil pipeline connects the eastern oil fields to the Red Sea port of Yanbu, with a designed transport capacity of 7 million barrels per day. As of early October, the pipeline's actual daily transport volume has risen to 5.8 million barrels, of which approximately 4.5 million barrels are for export, while the remainder supplies western refineries. Saudi Arabia is upgrading pump stations along the pipeline to increase capacity further. Additionally, Saudi Arabia plans to temporarily repurpose existing natural gas pipelines for crude oil transport. After adjustments, these pipelines could achieve a transport capacity of approximately 1.2 million barrels per day. With further investments in pump stations and compressors, the potential capacity could increase to 3 million barrels per day. Saudi Arabia is also evaluating a dual-purpose oil and gas pipeline network solution to enable flexible switching of transport purposes based on geopolitical risks and seasonal demand. This initiative aims to address potential disruptions in shipping through the Strait of Hormuz and security risks along Red Sea routes, creating a more resilient crude oil export system. However, the 10-million-barrel onshore transport capacity remains in the planning and construction phase, and its ultimate realization depends on pipeline modifications and investments in supporting infrastructure. [Original Link]