The UAE’s Fujairah Bet: Export Flexibility, Energy Security, and Regional Leverage

The UAE’s planned second Fujairah, or West-East, pipeline marks a major shift in Gulf energy security and export strategy. It matters not only because it reduces dependence on the Strait of Hormuz, but because it gives Abu Dhabi more freedom to manage exports, expand production, and strengthen its economic leverage. Announced for acceleration in May 2026 by Abu Dhabi Crown Prince Sheikh Khaled bin Mohamed bin Zayed, with operations targeted for 2027, the project would expand ADNOC’s ability to move crude directly to Fujairah beyond the existing Habshan-Fujairah pipeline’s capacity of about 1.8 million barrels per day. Reducing Exposure to Hormuz The timing is critical. The effective closure of the Strait of Hormuz after Iran-related conflict disrupted roughly one-fifth of […]