Following the suspension of Saudi Arabia's East-West pipeline, which halted cross-country flows to the Red Sea coast, the kingdom is ramping up spot crude sales from locations outside the Strait of Hormuz.

According to informed traders, Saudi Aramco has sold approximately 20 million barrels of crude to Asian refiners this week, with delivery scheduled for this month and next from waters near the strait. The traders requested anonymity due to the sensitive nature of the information. Buyers reportedly include Chinese state-owned and independent refiners, as well as other importers in East Asia.

Global oil markets are closely monitoring the fallout from the pipeline halt, which had previously served as a key alternative route for Saudi Arabia to bypass disruptions in the Strait of Hormuz linked to Iranian conflict. The pipeline was shut down following an attack last week, with no official word yet on when operations might resume.

The growing volume of spot sales via the Persian Gulf suggests Riyadh is shifting back toward its traditional shipping corridor, despite lingering security concerns. In the wake of the pipeline stoppage, Saudi Aramco has delayed some crude deliveries to European clients that were originally slated for export from the Red Sea port of Yanbu at the pipeline's western terminus.

Meanwhile, Asian refiners have requested updated information from the state-owned energy giant regarding its future loading schedules at Yanbu. Traders indicated that the spot crude sold by Saudi Aramco will be loaded via ship-to-ship transfers in the Gulf of Oman between September and October. This arrangement means that while the crude still transits the Strait of Hormuz, buyers are not responsible for that segment of the journey since the pickup point lies outside the strait.