While Aramco officials have provided informal assurances to at least three Asian buyers, no firm timeline for the restart has been established. The 750-mile East-West conduit, which allows the Kingdom to bypass the volatile Strait of Hormuz, remains the primary focus of repair efforts. Regional officials previously estimated that full restoration could span three to five weeks, though reports suggest partial capacity might return significantly sooner.

Since the attack, Saudi Arabia has relied on shuttle-shipping and ship-to-ship transfers near Oman to maintain exports, forcing a logistical pivot away from European markets for October. The potential return of Yanbu operations arrives as refiners scramble to capitalize on surging margins for middle distillates. If successful, the move would alleviate mounting pressure on Saudi export capacity and stabilize flows currently diverted through the Strait of Hormuz.