Middle East oil exports rebound in September but remain below pre-conflict levels
Middle Eastern crude exports were on track to recover in September, supported by Saudi shipments through the Strait of Hormuz and the restart of the East-West Pipeline after repairs. Kpler data still put regional exports about 3.2 million barrels per day below February levels.
By DoomRadar · Published on DoomRadar . Updated .
Event date: In September 2026, Saudi Arabia resumed exports through the East-West Pipeline after repairs following drone strikes on September 10, while regional exports recovered during the month. [3][1]
What happened
Kpler data indicated that crude exports from Saudi Arabia and other regional producers were on track to reach about 16 million barrels per day in September. That was the highest reported level since the US-Israeli war on Iran began in late February, but still about 3.2 million barrels per day below the region's February total of 19.513 million. [1][2]
References for this detail (2)
- Mideast oil exports rebound in September as Saudi Arabia boosts shipmentsfreemalaysiatoday.com · Article published: Sep 29, 2026, 3:02 AM UTC
- RECAP: Oil slides as Middle East exports recover and US moves to add supplyinvestinglive.com · Article published: Sep 29, 2026, 10:07 PM UTC
Saudi Arabia's September shipments were expected to reach about 5.4 million barrels per day, compared with 2.446 million barrels per day in August. Shipments from Ras Tanura in the Gulf were reported at about 3.25 million barrels per day, up from 929,000 in August but below February's 6.411 million. [1]
References for this detail (1)
- Mideast oil exports rebound in September as Saudi Arabia boosts shipmentsfreemalaysiatoday.com · Article published: Sep 29, 2026, 3:02 AM UTC
Saudi Arabia also resumed exports through its East-West Pipeline after repairs following drone strikes on September 10. The pipeline has a stated capacity of 7 million barrels per day, although about 2 million normally goes to refineries on the kingdom's western coast. [3]
References for this detail (1)
- Saudi Arabia resumes oil exports via East-West Pipeline after repairszawya.com · Article published: Sep 29, 2026, 3:32 AM UTC
The recovery involved several routes rather than a single uninterrupted flow: reported totals included cargo through the Strait of Hormuz, ship-to-ship transfers in the Gulf of Oman, terminals at Fujairah and Oman outside the strait, and Red Sea exports. Kpler estimated the region remained just under 80% of pre-conflict levels. [1]
References for this detail (1)
- Mideast oil exports rebound in September as Saudi Arabia boosts shipmentsfreemalaysiatoday.com · Article published: Sep 29, 2026, 3:02 AM UTC
Market reaction suggested that added supply temporarily outweighed disruption concerns. A market recap attributed Tuesday's decline in crude prices to recovering exports, Saudi loadings at Yanbu and a US offer of up to 40 million barrels from the Strategic Petroleum Reserve, while noting that the war risk premium remained in prices. [2]
References for this detail (1)
- RECAP: Oil slides as Middle East exports recover and US moves to add supplyinvestinglive.com · Article published: Sep 29, 2026, 10:07 PM UTC
Context from the sources
Saudi Arabia had diverted some exports from the Red Sea port of Yanbu after attacks damaged its East-West Pipeline. The pipeline restart restored an alternative route while traders continued watching how much crude would move through the Strait of Hormuz. [1][3]
Explore the sources and reporting timeline
3 source links · 3 domains
These counts describe the references, not independent confirmations. Different outlets can repeat the same original report.
Source timeline
Oldest to newest among the available source dates, not a chronology of the incident. Article publication dates come from the source; other recorded dates may reflect when a link was found.
- [1] Mideast oil exports rebound in September as Saudi Arabia boosts shipmentsfreemalaysiatoday.comReferenced for: detail 1, detail 2, detail 4
- [3] Saudi Arabia resumes oil exports via East-West Pipeline after repairszawya.comReferenced for: detail 3
- [2] RECAP: Oil slides as Middle East exports recover and US moves to add supplyinvestinglive.comReferenced for: detail 1, detail 5
Questions answered by the reporting
What happened to oil prices as exports recovered?
One market recap said Brent settled about 2.5% lower near $103 a barrel and WTI about 3.5% lower near $89, while Brent was still headed for a monthly gain of more than 10%. [2]
What this could mean for you
Crude prices could remain volatile for fuel buyers.
Regional exports were recovering but remained below February levels, so renewed disruption could remove some of the supply relief that pushed prices lower.
Reported basis: [1][2] · The possible effect is interpretation.
Depends on: Export flows fail to continue recovering or are disrupted again.
Possible time frame: weeks, if those conditions hold.
Refiners and energy traders could face changing delivery routes and availability.
Saudi Arabia is using both the East-West Pipeline and Strait of Hormuz shipments while the pipeline returns after repairs.
Reported basis: [1][3] · The possible effect is interpretation.
Depends on: The route mix changes materially or regional exports remain below pre-conflict levels.
Possible time frame: weeks, if those conditions hold.
Possible consequences, not a forecast. Their relevance depends on your location and the conditions above.
For your country
Choose a country to check how this event could affect you.
What changes the outlook
Risk increases if…
Regional crude exports remain below February levels or decline after September's rebound.
Saudi Arabia's repaired East-West Pipeline does not sustain resumed export flows.
Pressure eases if…
Regional export volumes continue rising toward pre-conflict levels.
The East-West Pipeline and Strait of Hormuz routes both maintain stable shipments.
Still unclear
Whether Saudi exports through the East-West Pipeline will reach its stated available export capacity.
Whether the September recovery will continue after the reported pipeline restart and increased Hormuz shipments.
Market implications
Market impact
Sources (3)
References for the reported details. Separate links do not necessarily mean independent confirmation.
Available excerpt
Data shows top regional exporter Saudi Arabia is on track to ship about 5.4 million bpd this month, rebounding from 2.446 million bpd in August.…A short excerpt from our source record; open the original for the full article.
Available excerpt
Oil settled at session lows on Tuesday, with Brent down circa 2.5% near $103 and WTI down circa 3.5% near $89. Saudi Yanbu loadings resumed…A short excerpt from our source record; open the original for the full article.
Available excerpt
Saudi Aramco tested the pipeline last week in preparation for restarting flows RIYADH — Saudi Arabia has resumed oil exports through its East-West Pipeline after…A short excerpt from our source record; open the original for the full article.
AI-assisted analysis · . Based on linked headlines and available excerpts. Methodology · Report an error.