Saudi Arabia has sold about 20 million barrels of crude to Asian refiners for
liftings outside the Strait of Hormuz in September–October, traders said. Saudi
Aramco offered the cargoes to independent refiners and other East Asian buyers
after the East‑West pipeline — which routed oil to the Red Sea and allowed
bypassing the Strait — was shut following an attack last week; officials have
given no restart timetable. Loadings will be carried out via ship‑to‑ship
transfers in Oman Bay, meaning buyers take delivery outside the Hormuz transit
leg and are not responsible for that segment.
