As conflict persists across West Asia, Gulf nations are accelerating plans to bypass the Strait of Hormuz, moving long-discussed pipeline projects from theoretical concepts toward operational reality.

The Strait of Hormuz, a narrow waterway handling nearly 20 million barrels of oil per day, remains the world’s most critical maritime chokepoint. However, recent attacks on shipping and heightened geopolitical instability have forced regional powers to seek more secure overland alternatives.

"I’m sensing a shift from hypotheticals into operational reality," Maisoon Kafafy, a senior adviser at the Atlantic Council, told the Financial Times. "Everyone is looking at the same map, and they are drawing the same conclusions."

Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates are already leveraging existing infrastructure to mitigate risks. Saudi Arabia’s 1,200-kilometer East-West pipeline, or Petroline, transports up to 7 million barrels per day from eastern fields to the Red Sea port of Yanbu. 

Similarly, the UAE utilizes the Abu Dhabi Crude Oil Pipeline (ADCOP) to move 1.8 million barrels per day to the port of Fujairah, located outside the Gulf.

Despite these assets, analysts warn that current capacities cannot fully offset a total Hormuz shutdown. 

Following the ongoing military action in Iran and simmering tension across the Middle East, Saudi officials are weighing expansions to Petroline and the construction of new export terminals along the Red Sea, including near the Neom project. 

The UAE is also reportedly exploring a second pipeline to Fujairah to bolster throughput, with ambitions extending beyond domestic borders. 

Potential projects include a "web of corridors" linking Iraqi oil fields to the Mediterranean via Jordan or Turkey, and integrated energy links within the India-Middle East-Europe Economic Corridor (IMEC).

Significant hurdles remain, primarily financial and political. Christopher Bush, CEO of Cat Group, noted that replicating the East-West pipeline today would cost at least $5 billion, while multi-country corridors could exceed $20 billion.

In addition to Saudi Arabia and the UAE, other countries in the region, including Iraq, Israel, and Egypt, are also exploring alternatives to the Strait of Hormuz. 

While these projects offer a long-term shift toward energy security, market analysts like Sasha Foss of Marex warn that maritime routes remain irreplaceable in the short term. Without expanded pipeline capacity, prolonged disruptions could eventually force regional production cuts once storage limits are reached.