Saudi oil output hits 1990 low after east-west pipeline attacks

Business Sep 19, 2026

Saudi Arabia's oil output just hit its lowest level since 1990, dropping from 10.1 million barrels a day before the U.S.-Iran conflict to only 6.24 million by August 2026.

Attacks on key infrastructure, like the East-West Pipeline in September, forced shutdowns and fueled this sharp decline.

Several countries add nearly 1.93m b/d

With Saudi supplies down, countries like the US Brazil, Kazakhstan, Venezuela, and Nigeria have boosted their oil production, together adding nearly 1.93 million barrels a day since February.

Thanks to these efforts and alternative export routes that bypass the chokepoint, the actual supply shortfall has stayed smaller than the headline export losses suggest this year.