Originally Posted by
mahogany bob
It now appears that ‘peace’ in Iran and restarting normal traffic through the strait is weeks /months away
So where do we ( plus the EU ) get oil to survive ?
Is it THAT critical ?? We don’t appear to panicking with rationing etc yet.
The longer the strait is closed the more cost effective / likely do overland pipelines become.
Iran had better be careful it doesn’t hold all the cards !
Question : how quickly can pipelines be built in an emergency which this now is ?
To answer your question - at least partially - pipelines themselves are relatively quick and easy to construct. I once project managed an Ethylene pipeline 120 km long from concept to conclusion in 9 months. But that's a diddy little thing with low viscosity fluid compared to what is needed here. I would imagine the limiting factor is the equipment needed for the pumping stations. Pumps are powered by electrical or turbines often generating multi megawatts. This kit has multi year lead times and ain't sitting on a shelf at your local DIY store!
Many different pipeline projects have been proposed around the Middle East but almost all come up against political and geographic constraints. The market has effectively chosen the flexibility of using VLCCs to transport oil and petroleum products.