Marib-Ras Isa Oil Pipeline

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Marib-Ras Isa Oil Pipeline,خط أنابيب مأرب – رأس عيسى, is an idle oil pipeline in Yemen.

Location

The pipeline runs from SEPOC Central Processing Facility in Marib Province to the FSO SAFER at Ras Isa.

Project Details

• Operator: SAFER Exploration & Production Operations Company
• Owner: SAFER Exploration & Production Operations Company
• Parent company: Government of Yemen
• Capacity: 400,000 bpd
• Length: 438 km
• Diameter: 24 in, 26 in
• Status: Idle
• Start year: 1987
• Cost:
• Financing:
• Associated infrastructure:

Background

The Marib-Ras Isa Oil Pipeline, also known as the Marib Pipeline, commenced in 1987 and runs from the SEPOC Central Processing Facility near the Marib oil fields to the Ras Isa floating export terminal on the Red Sea, offshore from Al-Ṣalīfd. The pipeline system spans a distance of 438 kilometers and has a potential capacity of 400,000 bpd. It is the main the export pipeline in Yemen.

Under normal operations, the pipeline was operating closer to 200,000 bpd. Frequent attacks since 2011 resulted in significantly reduced flows. In 2014 it carried closer to 70,000 bpd.

Under militant control since around 2015, official oil vessels have been unable to enter the Ras Isa port, halting operations. Operator SEPOC reported in 2018 that limited pumping had taken place occasionally to prevent corrosion.

The pipeline has been effectively idle since 2015.

Incidents

In March of 2011, coinciding with the protests to oust the regime in Sanaa, the pipeline was bombed and pumping was stopped until July of 2011.

In September of 2013, another bombing of the pipeline in the Sarwah district of the Marib province, east of Sanaa, halted the flow of oil.

In September 2014, militants who had been resisting the state of Yemen sabotaged the pipeline, stopping the flow of oil. The militants blew up a portion of the pipeline near the Wadi Abida production field in central Marib province. Such attacks have been occurring since the uprisings in 2011, while the militants have demanded concessions from the government such as jobs, settlements to land issues, and the release of relatives from prison.

In October 2014, militants sabotaged the pipeline near the Wadi Obaida area shortly after it had been repaired after an attack the previous week.

In April 2017, the pipeline began leaking oil following an attack in Bajel district. Local residents began gathering the oil, using a generator to assist in the gathering. This resulted in a fire that killed 12 people.

In 2023, the UN sent a supertanker to remove oil from the aging and leaking FSO SAFER. The FSO had not been serviced since 2015.

In April 2025, the US military carried out strikes on the Ras Isa port, claiming the militants were using it to import fuel illegally. The damage was widespread, and at least 84 people were killed.