I’ve thought for a long time that the Saudis need a pipeline out via Oman as a way of avoiding both Hormuz and the Red Sea choke points.
A good alternative would be a pipeline out via Jordan and Israel to the Mediterranean. The first time I heard of the “Neom” project planned for Northwest Saudi, they were talking about a pipeline out via Israel, but since then that seems to have been scrubbed (or maybe it was my imagination...), but an alternative would be across the Sinai to the Med. Israel doesn’t like that idea because it impacts their own access to the Red Sea.
Anyway, the new Crown Prince and Israel seem willing to work together in a way they have not previously.
“When it comes to money, everybody is of the same religion”
-Voltaire
“Anyway, the new Crown Prince and Israel seem willing to work together in a way they have not previously.”
I get the impression from the many articles I have read on the subject that Israel and Saudi Arabia are in continuous dialog on a number of subjects. The Crown Prince had originally suggested that Israel would be part of the city they planned with the IPO money from the sale of their national oil company. (If I recall they would be supplying desalinization equipment.) Because of decades of anti Israeli propaganda they can’t really talk much about how they cooperate. But when it comes down to “the enemy of my enemy is my friend” Iran is both of their enemies and I think they cooperate a lot. There were photos of Israeli planes at a Saudi air base, but I can’t find those anymore.
The oil IPO was rescheduled because of the Iranian attack on the facilities, which would have had a huge impact on the price. I believe it would be coming up shortly, then the terror cell in Pensacola was activated (my thoughts) which will doubtless delay the IPO further. The longer it takes for Saudi Arabia to get that money the better the situation is for Iran.
There had been a working pipeline from saudia Arabia in the past. It was built half out of 31 inch and the other half out of 30 inch pipe. The line was never modernized, and full into extreme neglect. It was plagued with ongoing vandalism and guerrilla attacks. When we were building up for desert shield/ storm we even paved most of the right of way to use as a one way road from the Med to the east. It is a marvel to behold and admire. When they finally began to decommission the pipeline they drilled a series of water wells to be able to displace the remaining oil to empty all those miles of pipe. It took them YEARS. The tank farm and off-shore loading mooring as still present and visible.
Any pipeline that is built in the region either by Israel or others will experience similar fates. Yes technology and countermeasures are better, but any pipeline of length is exposed to these risks.