Saudi Aramco is prioritizing a partial restart of its East-West pipeline—previously flowing 4-5 million barrels per day, or roughly 4-5% of global supply—after drone attacks in early September 2026 damaged multiple pumping stations and forced a precautionary shutdown. The company is bypassing affected sections to restore about half capacity within days, with full 7 million bpd throughput targeted in approximately six weeks, according to people familiar with the repairs. U.S. Energy Secretary Chris Wright assessed that flows could resume in days rather than weeks, aligning with Aramco’s technical assessments amid parallel pipelines that may allow phased restarts. These timelines are shaping trader views on near-term oil supply relief, particularly as the pipeline serves as a key workaround to constrained Strait of Hormuz traffic, with Brent crude recently trading above $106 per barrel. Key upcoming catalysts include Aramco’s next operational updates and any further security developments in the region that could affect repair crews or infrastructure.