沙特能源部长在新德里周四表示，沙特阿拉伯在两年内将其东西方管道的产能提高40%，以使更多的石油出口避免通过霍尔木兹海峡。
哈立德·法利赫还表示在该地区油轮遭到袭击，伊朗扣押一艘悬挂英国国旗的船只后，进口商在通过海湾口的战略水道首先确保货物的安全。
法利赫说，国际社会应该迅速采取行动，保护石油供应，保护世界上大约五分之一的石油通过的海峡。
美国已对伊朗实施经济制裁，以阻止其石油出口，美国正努力争取支持建立一个全球联盟，以确保海湾水域的安全。英国呼吁欧洲领导的海军任务来保护航运。
“印度还需要在确保向世界其他地区输送能源的海上航线的自由航行方面发挥作用，”al-falih在会见印度石油部长达曼德拉·普拉丹后表示。
印度在海峡部署了两艘军舰。
沙特阿拉伯的目标是扩大管道运输能力。
沙特阿拉伯已经利用一条1200公里长的管道，将部分石油通过红海出口到西部的红海港口城市延布，这条管道从沙特阿拉伯大部分石油生产基地所在的东部延伸至此。
他说，沙特阿拉伯的目标是在当前的情况下，最大限度地实现东西管道每天500万桶（bpd）的出口。
“我们希望将其增加到700万桶/天，”al-falih说，尽管他说，东西向管道（称为Petroline）的扩容需要两年时间。
对于科威特和伊拉克这样的国家来说，将石油供应路由到远离海峡的地方更加困难，因为它们的唯一海岸线是海湾。
在他在印度的会谈中，al-falih说沙特阿拉伯准备向印度提供更多的石油。
他还表示，沙特阿美政府关于购买印度信实工业（Reliance Industries）炼油资产少数股权的谈判并未停滞不前，此前有消息人士本周告诉路透社，这些谈判遇到了障碍。
audi Arabia aims to expand pipeline to cut exports via Strait of Hormuz
New Delhi: Saudi Arabia aims to raise the capacity of its east-west pipeline by 40 per cent in two years so more of its oil exports can avoid passing through the Strait of Hormuz, the energy minister said on Thursday.
Khalid Al Falih also said importers should, as a first immediate step, secure shipments through the strategic waterway at the mouth of Gulf, after attacks on oil tankers in the area and the seizure of a British-flagged ship by Iran.
Al Falih said the international community should take swift action to protect oil supplies and secure the Strait, through which about a fifth of the world"s oil passes.
Oil importers “have to do what they have to do to protect their own energy shipments because Saudi Arabia cannot take that on its own,” he said in an interview during a visit to India.
The United States, which has imposed economic sanctions on Iran to halt its exports of oil, is trying to rally support for a global coalition to secure Gulf waters. Britain has called for a European-led naval mission to protect shipping.
“India also needs to do its part in securing free navigation of sea links transporting energy to the rest of the world,” Al Falih said after meeting Indian Oil Minister Dharmendra Pradhan.
India has deployed two warships in the Strait.
output Saudi Arabia is targeting with pipeline expansion
Saudi Arabia already exports some of its oil through the Red Sea using a 1200km pipeline that runs from the east of the kingdom, where much of its oil production is based, to the Red Sea port city of Yanbu in the west.
Saudi Arabia aimed to maximise exports through the 5 million barrels per day (bpd) east-west pipeline if required, he said.
“We are hoping to increase it to 7 (million bpd),” Al Falih said, although he said expanding capacity of the east-west pipeline, called Petroline, would take two years.
Routing oil supplies away from the Strait is more difficult for countries like Kuwait and Iraq, whose only coastline is on the Gulf.
In his talks in India, Al Falih said Saudi Arabia was prepared to supply additional oil to India.
He also said state-run Saudi Aramco"s talks about buying a minority stake in the refining assets of India’s Reliance Industries had not stalled, after sources told Reuters this week they had hit a roadblock.
On Saudi plans to list Aramco, Al Falih said the kingdom was “absolutely ready” for launching an initial public offering, adding that the share sale was “possible” next year depending on global economic and financial conditions.
The minister said global oil demand was reasonably healthy but was lower than estimates had put it at the start of .
The International Energy Agency is revising down its global oil demand growth forecast to 1.1 million bpd and may cut it again if the global economy slows further amid a US-China trade spat.
“I am not concerned at all,” Al Falih said, adding that the US-China trade row was not “impacting demand to a measurable degree” as Asia oil demand was healthy.
