UAE Prioritizes Oil Pipeline Bypass to Avoid Strait of Hormuz Risks

The United Arab Emirates has intensified its focus on overland oil export infrastructure that bypasses the Strait of Hormuz, prioritizing the strategic Abu Dhabi Crude Oil Pipeline (ADCOP) to mitigate regional maritime risks. This move ensures that a significant portion of the country’s crude exports can reach international markets via the Gulf of Oman, avoiding the world’s most sensitive naval chokepoint. Strategic Infrastructure Capacity The ADCOP facility, which originates at the Habshan onshore oil field in Abu Dhabi, spans 360 kilometres to the port of Fujairah. The pipeline has a rated capacity of 1.5 million barrels per day (bpd), with the technical capability to scale up to 1.8 million bpd during peak operations. By transporting crude directly to the eastern seaboard, the UAE reduces its reliance on the Strait of Hormuz, through which approximately 20% of the world’s daily liquid petroleum consumption passes. Recent regional tensions and threats to commercial shipping have prompted a re-evaluation of energy logistics. While the pipeline has been operational since 2012, current geopolitical shifts have led to accelerated investments in storage and terminal capacity at…