The United Arab Emirates (UAE) is set to double its capacity for exporting crude oil via a route that bypasses the critically strategic Strait of Hormuz by next year, as part of its strategy to reduce dependency on this vital shipping chokepoint.
According to a statement from the emirate’s media office posted on X, the Abu Dhabi National Oil Company (ADNOC) is fast-tracking the construction of a pipeline that connects to the Port of Fujairah on the Gulf of Oman. Currently, ADNOC operates a 1.5 million barrel-per-day pipeline from its oil fields to the eastern port, which has become essential for maintaining the country’s oil exports amid ongoing regional conflicts.
The existing pipeline has enabled the UAE to sustain market supply even as Iran effectively shut down the typical shipping route through the Strait of Hormuz following the escalation of hostilities that began in late February. However, this pipeline can only transport less than half of ADNOC’s usual export volumes, potentially impacting the nation’s oil revenues.
As of now, the UAE and Saudi Arabia are the only major Gulf oil producers able to deliver significant amounts of crude to international markets during the ongoing conflict. State oil companies from both nations have successfully shipped several cargoes out of the Gulf in recent weeks, managing to navigate around the Iranian blockade.
The acceleration of construction for the new pipeline is also a response to the UAE’s recent withdrawal from the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC). Free from the production quotas previously imposed by the group, the UAE has announced plans to increase output in light of heightened demand resulting from the war. Enhancing export capacity through Fujairah will provide the UAE with alternative options even after the Strait of Hormuz reopens to shipping traffic.
Although the existing 252-mile (406-kilometer) pipeline to Fujairah has not been directly targeted during the conflict, facilities at both ends have faced attacks. Iranian drones struck a gas-processing facility near the Habshan starting point of the pipeline, while the Port of Fujairah has experienced damage that temporarily disrupted shipments during multiple attacks throughout the conflict.
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Published on May 15, 2026.
