Saudi Shifts Oil Route Through Egypt to Bypass Red Sea Attacks
Saudi Arabia is routing a large portion of its crude through the Sumed pipeline from Ain Sokhna to Sidi Kerir in Egypt to evade Houthi attacks in the Red Sea, with Sidi Kerir exports rising to about 2.3 million barrels per day in August. The move lengthens shipments by roughly 25 days and is less cost-effective for many Asian buyers, though it gives Riyadh greater optionality as it protects key chokepoints; most Sidi Kerir-bound oil currently goes to Europe and the U.S., signaling a broader shift in Middle East oil flows amid regional tension.