Kuwait explores Saudi, UAE pipeline routes to bypass Hormuz

Proposed pipeline corridors

Kuwait is examining two possible crude oil pipeline routes that would run through Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates, aiming to broaden export options and lessen reliance on the Strait of Hormuz. Feasibility studies for these corridors are currently under discussion with both nations.

Capacity, timelines and investment

Mohammed Al-Abduljalil, Deputy CEO for Planning and Innovation at Kuwait Oil Company, said the Kuwait Petroleum Corporation has reached an agreement with its Saudi and Emirati partners to study two separate projects that would originate in the Ahmadi area. Speaking on the sidelines of the PwC World Energy Congress in Riyadh on Tuesday, he stressed that both proposals remain at an early stage and no final investment decision has been taken.

The first route would carry Kuwaiti crude from Ahmadi across Saudi territory to the Red Sea coast, where it would link with the kingdom’s existing East‑West pipeline network.

The second route would connect Kuwait’s oil exports to Fujairah on the Gulf of Oman by using the United Arab Emirates’ current pipeline infrastructure, providing an alternative outlet that avoids the Strait of Hormuz. Under this arrangement, Kuwaiti crude could be shipped by tanker from Mina Al‑Ahmadi to Abu Dhabi and then pumped through a pipeline to Fujairah, either via the existing Habshan‑Fujairah system or through additional facilities; Al‑Abduljalil also noted Duqm in Oman as a possible more distant destination.

Saudi Arabia and the UAE already operate major pipeline networks that enable crude to reach export terminals outside the Strait of Hormuz. The Saudi East‑West line has a stated capacity of about seven million barrels per day, while the UAE’s Habshan‑Fujairah line can move between 1.5 and 1.8 million barrels per day.

Al‑Abduljalil warned that the Kuwaiti projects would demand considerable planning and investment. He said construction could take four to five years if Kuwait decided to move forward, emphasising that the ideas are part of a long‑term strategy rather than an immediate solution to a shipping disruption.

Regional context and next steps

Kuwait had previously looked into using and possibly expanding the Saudi and Emirati pipeline networks to accommodate its crude exports. In June, KPC CEO Sheikh Nawaf Al‑Sabah said the corporation was in talks with both countries on expanding pipeline capacity to handle Kuwaiti shipments.

At the same World Energy Congress, Saudi Energy Minister Prince Abdulaziz bin Salman indicated that international ownership and financing of pipeline infrastructure, including possible Kuwaiti participation, were under review. He added that Saudi Arabia aims to increase its oil pipeline capacity to ten million barrels per day within the next two to three years.

For Kuwait, the feasibility studies could help establish additional export corridors and strengthen the resilience of its oil supply chain. The ultimate viability of the projects will depend on the outcomes of the studies, infrastructure needs, commercial arrangements and a final decision by the parties involved.