Houthi strikes on Saudi Arabia's oil infrastructure have put the kingdom's East-West pipeline under threat, jeopardizing 3-4 million b/d of Saudi crude exports as ICE Brent reached $105 per barrel and Middle Eastern grades such as Murban and Oman soared to $120 per barrel. Fire and smoke were seen coming from the 7 million b/d East-West oil pipeline after a suspected Houthi strike, with Sentinel and NASA satellite imagery showing active fires and thermal anomalies in the area. Saudi Arabia reported crude production falling to 6.24 million b/d in August, down 1.9 million b/d from July and the lowest level since 1990, as renewed Houthi-driven disruptions cut exports by roughly one-third. OPEC lowered its 2026 global oil demand growth forecast to 380,000 b/d, down 200,000 b/d from a month ago and its fifth consecutive downward revision, while raising its 2027 forecast to a 2.36 million b/d demand recovery. Several Asian refiners asked Saudi Aramco to price 2027 term crude against ICE Brent after Hormuz disruptions shrank deliverable supply to 3-4 million b/d and drove Dubai and Oman about $18 above Brent.
TotalEnergies SEAramco's East-West pipeline and exports are threatened by Houthi strikes, cutting production to 6.24 million b/d, though higher Brent prices partly offset the volume loss.
