The United Arab Emirates has ordered the accelerated construction of a second major oil pipeline that will allow it to double crude exports from the Gulf of Oman port of Fujairah, effectively bypassing the Strait of Hormuz. The directive, issued by Abu Dhabi Crown Prince Sheikh Khaled bin Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan during a board meeting of the state-owned Abu Dhabi National Oil Company, comes against the backdrop of the de facto closure of the strait by Iran following the onset of the US-Israeli military campaign against the Islamic Republic. With roughly one-fifth of global oil supply normally transiting the waterway, the disruption has sent energy prices soaring and underscored the strategic vulnerability of Gulf producers.

Viewed from Abu Dhabi, the decision reflects a long-standing determination to reduce reliance on a chokepoint that has repeatedly been weaponised by Tehran. The first West-East Pipeline, opened in 2012, was designed to carry up to 1.5 million barrels per day—enough to handle about three-quarters of the UAE's exports—but the new parallel conduit will double that capacity. Analysts in London note that the main construction contract for the 520-kilometre route from the Jebel Dhanna terminal to Fujairah was awarded only in February 2024, yet the crown prince has now demanded completion by 2027, a timeline that signals acute urgency. From Washington, the move is seen as a welcome erosion of Iran's strategic leverage, though it does nothing to ease the immediate pressure on global markets or on other Gulf states that still rely on the strait.

The existing pipeline has already provided a vital safety valve since late February, when Iranian mine-laying and naval patrols effectively closed Hormuz to commercial traffic. But with the UAE's own production capacity rising and international customers demanding supply guarantees, the second line was already under consideration long before the current crisis. The crown prince commended ADNOC for maintaining reliable deliveries during the conflict, while ordering the company to prioritise the project above other investments. Construction is under way and the target date of 2027, though ambitious, is considered achievable given the flat terrain and the emirate's proven ability to execute large infrastructure projects.

Looking ahead, the completion of the twin pipelines will fundamentally alter the geography of Gulf oil exports. The UAE will become the first major producer in the region to possess a fully redundant export route independent of Hormuz, potentially encouraging similar projects in Saudi Arabia and Iraq. Yet analysts caution that Iran will not surrender its principal bargaining chip without compensatory escalation elsewhere—possibly in the Bab el-Mandeb strait or through direct attacks on pipeline infrastructure. The global oil market, meanwhile, faces a prolonged period of heightened risk premiums, as the temporary closure of Hormuz has exposed just how fragile the architecture of energy transit remains.