Urgent: Full pumping capacity restored on East–West pipeline, Manifa field production to resume shortly.

The East-West pipeline, also known as the Trans-Alaska Pipeline System (TAPS), is a major crude oil pipeline in the United States that runs roughly 800 miles from Prudhoe Bay on Alaska’s North Slope to the port of Valdez in the south. It was constructed between 1974 and 1977 following the 1968 discovery of massive oil reserves at Prudhoe Bay, fundamentally transforming Alaska’s economy and becoming a critical component of U.S. energy infrastructure. The pipeline is renowned for its engineering, which accommodates permafrost and wildlife migration, and remains a vital but controversial artery for domestic oil production.

The Manifa field is a major offshore oil field located in the Persian Gulf, Saudi Arabia, operated by Saudi Aramco. It was discovered in 1957 but remained undeveloped for decades due to its complex, shallow-water geography and heavy crude oil. Advanced engineering, including a network of causeways and drilling islands, finally allowed large-scale production to begin in 2013, making it a key part of Saudi Arabia’s energy infrastructure.