UAE targets higher oil exports with rapid pipeline expansion plan

ABU DHABI: The United Arab Emirates(UAE) will accelerate construction of a new West-East oil pipeline aimed at significantly expanding export capacity through Fujairah by 2027.

According to the Abu Dhabi Media Office, the project overseen by the Abu Dhabi National Oil Company will enable higher volumes of crude oil to be transported through alternative routes that bypass the Strait of Hormuz, one of the world’s most sensitive energy chokepoints.

The decision to fast-track the project was taken during an executive committee meeting chaired by Abu Dhabi Crown Prince Sheikh Khaled bin Mohamed bin Zayed.

Khaled bin Mohamed bin Zayed chaired a meeting of the Executive Committee of ADNOC’s Board of Directors, reviewing updates on the new West-East Pipeline project, scheduled to operate in 2027 and double ADNOC’s export capacity via Fujairah, to meet global energy demand. pic.twitter.com/uMBYpvt01q

— مكتب أبوظبي الإعلامي (@ADMediaOffice) May 15, 2026

Once completed, the pipeline is expected to nearly double the UAE’s export capacity through Fujairah to around four million barrels per day.

The 360-kilometer pipeline will run from Habshan in Abu Dhabi to the port of Fujairah on the Gulf of Oman, strengthening the country’s ability to export oil outside the Strait of Hormuz.

Officials said the project is being accelerated amid heightened geopolitical tensions and growing uncertainty over maritime energy routes.

The new pipeline will operate alongside the existing Abu Dhabi Crude Oil Pipeline, which has been in service since 2012 and currently carries up to 1.9 million barrels per day.

The UAE has been expanding its energy infrastructure as part of a broader strategy to increase production capacity and strengthen its global market position.

Together, both pipelines will provide a combined export capacity of about four million barrels per day through Fujairah by 2027.

The UAE is among a limited number of Gulf producers with pipeline systems that allow crude exports outside the Strait of Hormuz.

Saudi Arabia operates the East-West Petroline, while Oman has direct access to the Arabian Sea via its coastline.

The Strait of Hormuz remains the world’s most critical oil chokepoint, though regional producers have developed alternative export routes to reduce dependency.

The West-East expansion is part of a wider UAE energy investment plan, with ADNOC expected to award $55 billion in projects between 2026 and 2028.

The country is also targeting oil production capacity of five million barrels per day by 2027, as it continues to expand infrastructure and compete more aggressively in global energy markets.

Fujairah’s strategic location outside the Strait of Hormuz remains central to the UAE’s long-term energy security and export diversification strategy.

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