The approximately 370 km, 48 inch diameter oil pipeline extends from the Habshan fields in Abu Dhabi to the port of Fujairah, and aims to offset reliance on Arabian Gulf oil terminals while reducing shipping congestion through the Strait of Hormuz.

Mr Al-Hamli said that the pipeline will have a capacity of 1.4 MMbbl/d of oil that may be further increased to 1.8 MMbbl/d, meaning approximately 70 per cent of the UAE’s oil production could be exported via Fujairah.

International Petroleum Investment Co. is currently constructing the pipeline on behalf of the Abu Dhabi Government.