- Saudi Aramco sold about 60 million barrels for loading in Sept-Oct 2026 via STS transfers.
- The move bypasses disruptions from attacks on Saudi Arabia's East-West Pipeline.
- Exports shifted to the Strait of Hormuz maintain levels of 1.0 to 1.5 million barrels daily.
Saudi Aramco has sold roughly 60 million barrels of crude oil for loading in September and October 2026, leveraging ship-to-ship (STS) transfers off Oman's Sohar port and direct loadings from its Persian Gulf terminal at Ras Tanura, Reuters reported, citing trade sources.
The logistical maneuver comes as Saudi Arabia works to bypass supply disruptions caused by recent attacks on its East-West Pipeline. The pipeline damage had severely throttled crude throughput to the Red Sea port of Yanbu.
By shifting export operations back to the Strait of Hormuz and utilising STS transfers off Oman, Aramco is maintaining Gulf export levels between 1.0 million and 1.5 million barrels per day, matching or slightly exceeding August figures.
Also Read | Layoffs Are Rising In Tech, But These Skills Are Helping People Unlock Better Pay
ALSO READ: Oil Prices Decline For Third Day: Brent Crude Dips Below $104 As Saudi Moves To Restore Key Pipeline
Major Asian buyers, particularly refiners in China and South Korea, alongside importers in Japan, have snapped up the spot cargoes, the Reuters report said. The sudden influx of available supply to Asia has provided immediate relief to global oil markets, sending crude futures down by over $1 a barrel on Friday.
Japan's oil refiners have secured adequate crude supplies through November despite regional shipping vulnerabilities, relying on ship-to-ship transfers taking place outside the Strait of Hormuz, the Petroleum Association of Japan (PAJ) announced Friday.
Speaking in Tokyo, PAJ President Shunichi Kito explained that Saudi Arabia is absorbing the maritime transit risk by moving crude through the Strait before transferring it to Japanese buyers in safer waters outside the Persian Gulf.
"For that reason, supplies from Saudi Arabia have not ceased entirely," Kito noted, reassuring markets over the stability of the nation's energy imports.
Market sentiment was further calmed by reports that Riyadh aims to restore roughly half of the East-West pipeline's capacity within days.
ALSO READ: Wall Street In Green Lane Again: Cooler Oil Among Three Reasons Fueling US Stock Futures
Essential Business Intelligence, Sharp Market Insights, Practical Personal Finance Advice, Daily Fuel, Gold and Silver Prices and Latest Stories — On NDTV Profit.
