Staff Reports
The oil-rich nations of the Gulf are finally treating energy security like a real problem, not an opinion poll. After Iran’s disruptions in the Strait of Hormuz and fresh attacks in the Red Sea by Houthi fighters, Riyadh, Abu Dhabi and Baghdad have moved from worry to action. They are fast‑tracking pipelines and deals that would let them ship oil without threading the needle past Iran — and the world should pay attention.
Pipeline blitz: Abu Dhabi, Iraq and partners move fast
Abu Dhabi has told its state oil company to hurry an expensive West–East pipeline expansion to Fujairah. The idea is simple: send more oil to a Red Sea port and stop sending it through the Strait of Hormuz. Iraq is signing commercial agreements with U.S. firms to study and rebuild routes from Basra to the Mediterranean, including a rehab of the old Iraq–Syria line. The U.S. State Department has called that Iraq–Syria project a “priority infrastructure” move, and even credited the current political leadership for helping make it possible. Goldman Sachs and other analysts say these projects could add millions of barrels per day of bypass capacity over the next two years. That’s real scale, not hand‑waving.
Why the rush? Iran’s bullying and Houthi chaos
The reason is obvious: Iran has proven it can choke shipping through Hormuz. When a chokepoint sits beside a hostile state, it is a leverage tool. Add the Houthis in Yemen, who have announced a maritime “ban” on Saudi shipping and have claimed strikes in the Red Sea, and the alternative routes look urgent rather than optional. The same Gulf states that once trusted seaborne trade to flow freely now see the Red Sea under threat and want other outlets — fast.
Limits and risks: pipelines help, but don’t fix everything
Pipelines and alternate ports will blunt Tehran’s grip, but they are not magic. Analysts estimate interim gains of roughly 3.8 million barrels per day next year and perhaps 7.3 million by 2028 if everything goes right. That reduces Hormuz’s importance, but some countries don’t have the geography or cash to build big pipelines. Kuwait and Qatar still face hard choices. Pipelines can also be attacked, and shipping via the Suez Canal forces smaller tankers and longer trips. LNG is another headache — Qatar has few realistic bypasses. In short: the plan reduces risk, but it does not erase it.
What Washington and allies should do next
This is a time for support, not lectures. The Gulf is investing billions to protect global energy flows. The United States should back those moves with clear deterrence against Iran and its proxies, help secure ports and pipeline routes, and encourage private investors to stay the course. Energy security is national security for allies and for America. If Tehran wanted to win leverage by menacing a strait, it has only prompted the region to build a more resilient network — which, ironically, will make the Islamic Republic less important in world oil markets.
