Aramco Halts October Crude Deliveries to European Refiners After Drone Attacks Damage Saudi East-West Pipeline, Forcing Customers to Seek Alternative Supplies

Saudi Aramco informed at least two European refining customers in mid-September 2026 that they will receive no crude oil in October, following drone attacks that forced the shutdown of Saudi Arabia's East-West pipeline (the Petroline, which carries crude from Saudi Arabia's eastern fields to the Red Sea port of Yanbu). The attacks damaged three pumping stations and disrupted oil loadings at Yanbu, cutting off the primary Red Sea export route for Saudi crude. European refiners typically purchase Saudi crude under term contracts that guarantee monthly supplies. Among the customers affected is Poland's Orlen, which bought North Sea grades to replace the disrupted Saudi imports. Aramco is working to partially restart the pipeline within days and return it to full capacity within approximately six weeks, with the company separately boosting crude exports through the Persian Gulf via ship-to-ship transfers off Oman's Sohar port to partially offset the lost Red Sea volumes. The disruption follows the broader escalation of Red Sea and Arabian Peninsula supply risks, with Brent crude holding above $100 per barrel in this period.