# Transporting oil through the Suez canal **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [March 24, 2021, 2:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/transporting-oil-through-the-suez-canal/938585 "2021-03-24T14:58:28Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Danger\_Man](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/6de8d8/32.png) [@Danger\_Man](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Danger_Man)\ **Post date:** [March 24, 2021, 2:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/transporting-oil-through-the-suez-canal/938585/1 "2021-03-24T14:58:28Z")
I read that about 600k barrels are transported one way, and about 850k barrels are transported the other way through the Suez canal every day. Why does this happen? Surely this could be optimized in a way? ---
**Author:** ![Machine\_Elf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/82dd89/32.png) [@Machine\_Elf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Machine_Elf)\ **Post date:** [March 24, 2021, 3:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/transporting-oil-through-the-suez-canal/938585/2 "2021-03-24T15:14:33Z")
Different oil fields yield different types of crude oil. Most likely it’s not the same kind of oil going in both directions. > **[Petroleum | Classification](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Petroleum#Classification)** > > The petroleum industry generally classifies crude oil by the geographic location it is produced in (e.g., West Texas Intermediate, Brent, or Oman), its API gravity (an oil industry measure of density), and its sulfur content. Crude oil may be considered light if it has low density, heavy if it has high density, or medium if it has a density between that of light and heavy. Additionally, it may be referred to as sweet if it contains relatively little sulfur or sour if it contains substantial a The... ---
**Author:** ![PastTense](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pasttense/32/14550_2.png) [@PastTense](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PastTense)\ **Post date:** [March 24, 2021, 4:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/transporting-oil-through-the-suez-canal/938585/3 "2021-03-24T16:02:54Z")
> [@Danger\_Man](#): > > I read that about 600k barrels are transported one way, and about 850k barrels are transported the other way through the Suez canal every day. These numbers are actually the capacity of one oil tanker (and the smaller ones at that): > **Panamax** > > With an oil tanker size of 500,000 barrels, these tankers sure command a measure of respect in this industry. They are regarded as the largest vessel that travels through the Panama Canal. > > **Aframax** > > Their weight ranges from 70,000 to 120,000 dead weight tons, with a capacity of 750,000 barrels of oil. In the Average Freight Rate Assessment tanker system (AFRA), they are the largest tankers. AFRA is a standard used for contract terms with well-defined ship capacity [tanker explosion](http://alloiltank.com/oil-tanker-explosion/). > > **Suezmax** > > This is the largest tanker passing the Suez Canal with the range of deadweight tons from 120,000 to 200,000 and 1,000,000 barrels of oil. > > **Very large crude carrier (VLCC)** > > Their weight extends from 200,000 to 325,000 dead weight tons; used mainly in the Mediterranean Sea, the North Sea, and near West Africa, with an approximate capacity of 2,000,000 barrels of oil. > > **Ultra large crude carrier (ULCC)** > > It is also known as ULCC. The weight extends from 325,000 to 550,000 dead weight tons. Their capacity is up to 4,000,000 barrels of oil and they are used in the Persian Gulf to European and American to Asia. > **[Oil tanker ship: capacity, size](https://alloiltank.com/oil-tanker-ship/)** > > Oil tanker ship is a very large vessel specifically deployed for the transportation of crude oil. They move large amounts of unrefined crude oil from extraction points to where they are refined. ---
**Author:** ![Danger\_Man](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/6de8d8/32.png) [@Danger\_Man](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Danger_Man)\ **Post date:** [March 24, 2021, 4:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/transporting-oil-through-the-suez-canal/938585/4 "2021-03-24T16:22:50Z")
Thanks for the answers. My numbers must be off, and I was not able to find any sources easily by googling. Is there somewhere I can find what kind of oil and in what quality goes in both directions? Is this public information? ---
**Author:** ![K364](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/k364/32/5_2.png) [@K364](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/K364)\ **Post date:** [March 24, 2021, 5:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/transporting-oil-through-the-suez-canal/938585/5 "2021-03-24T17:12:50Z")
Politics aside, wouldn’t it be much better to have pipelines from Saudi Arabia to a Mediterranean port? Then pretty much any size of oil tanker can be loaded to go to Europe and North America. ---
**Author:** ![Dandan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/a87d85/32.png) [@Dandan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dandan)\ **Post date:** [March 24, 2021, 5:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/transporting-oil-through-the-suez-canal/938585/6 "2021-03-24T17:21:42Z")
Politics aside? Surely you jest - I can’t think of a higher value political hostage than an oil pipeline. Dan ---
**Author:** ![K364](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/k364/32/5_2.png) [@K364](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/K364)\ **Post date:** [March 24, 2021, 5:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/transporting-oil-through-the-suez-canal/938585/7 "2021-03-24T17:24:36Z")
or a canal ---
**Author:** ![Dandan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/a87d85/32.png) [@Dandan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dandan)\ **Post date:** [March 24, 2021, 5:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/transporting-oil-through-the-suez-canal/938585/8 "2021-03-24T17:27:01Z")
could always use the canal. Dan ---
**Author:** ![Dandan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/a87d85/32.png) [@Dandan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dandan)\ **Post date:** [March 24, 2021, 5:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/transporting-oil-through-the-suez-canal/938585/9 "2021-03-24T17:33:47Z")
Ooops, sorry - in such a hurry to be a smartass. Meant to say “use the pipeline”. Dan ---
**Author:** ![Precambrianmollusc](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/precambrianmollusc/32/63_2.png) [@Precambrianmollusc](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Precambrianmollusc)\ **Post date:** [March 24, 2021, 6:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/transporting-oil-through-the-suez-canal/938585/10 "2021-03-24T18:06:37Z")
Pipe lines are efficient and relatively safe, and if we ignore the political and security issues of a pipeline to the Med from Saudi, from a supllier side you are potentially constrained on selling into the European market. If you stick with tankers you can sell anywhere and adapt to changing markets. On the traffic going both ways are you sure it’s crude going back, it could be Product (Gasoline petrochemicals etc) going back down the canal. ---
**Author:** ![Dandan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/a87d85/32.png) [@Dandan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dandan)\ **Post date:** [March 24, 2021, 6:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/transporting-oil-through-the-suez-canal/938585/11 "2021-03-24T18:26:59Z")
> [@Precambrianmollusc](#): > > Pipe lines are efficient and relatively safe, and if we ignore the political and security issues of a pipeline to the Med from Saudi, Ignore? Check a map of the Middle East and get back to us with a route that is “relatively safe”. Dan ---
**Author:** ![Precambrianmollusc](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/precambrianmollusc/32/63_2.png) [@Precambrianmollusc](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Precambrianmollusc)\ **Post date:** [March 24, 2021, 6:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/transporting-oil-through-the-suez-canal/938585/12 "2021-03-24T18:40:14Z")
Yes I know, the question was ‘politics aside’. ---
**Author:** ![Precambrianmollusc](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/precambrianmollusc/32/63_2.png) [@Precambrianmollusc](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Precambrianmollusc)\ **Post date:** [March 24, 2021, 6:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/transporting-oil-through-the-suez-canal/938585/13 "2021-03-24T18:56:05Z")
The EIA has an article on the Suez and oil transportation that might be helpful. 2017 data > **[International - U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA)](https://www.eia.gov/international/analysis/special-topics/World_Oil_Transit_Chokepoints)** > > Energy Information Administration - EIA - Official Energy Statistics from the U.S. Government Most oil transiting the Suez Canal was sent northbound (2.4 million b/d) toward European and North American markets, and the remainder was sent southbound (1.5 million b/d), mainly toward Asian markets. Oil exports from Persian Gulf countries (Saudi Arabia, Iraq, Kuwait, United Arab Emirates, Iran, [Oman=0), Qatar, and Bahrain) accounted for 84% of Suez Canal northbound oil flows. The largest importers of northbound oil flows through the Suez Canal in 2016 were European countries (78%) and the United States (14%). Oil exports from Russia accounted for the largest share of (17%) of Suez southbound oil flows, followed by Turkey (15%) and Netherlands (11%). North Africa (Algeria and made up 12% of the southbound flow. The largest importers of Suez southbound oil flows were Asian countries, with Singapore, China and India accounting for more than 50% of the total ---
**Author:** ![Dandan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/a87d85/32.png) [@Dandan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dandan)\ **Post date:** [March 24, 2021, 7:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/transporting-oil-through-the-suez-canal/938585/14 "2021-03-24T19:41:33Z")
> [@Dandan](#): > > > [@Precambrianmollusc](#): > > > > Pipe lines are efficient and relatively safe, and if we ignore the political and security issues of a pipeline to the Med from Saudi, > > Ignore? Check a map of the Middle East and get back to us with a route that is “relatively safe”. > > Dan > [@Dandan](#): > > Ignore? Check a map of the Middle East and get back to us with a route that is “relatively safe”. > > Dan > [@Precambrianmollusc](#): > > Yes I know, the question was ‘politics aside’. I realize I ignored ‘politics aside’, but I get tired of zombie apocalypse questions, you know, “setting aside the fact that zombies don’t exist, don’t you think we could win if…” Pipelines can be somewhat secure, of course, no one is arguing that, but pipelines connecting even friendly territories are politically fraught. See the Keystone XL. Can’t ignore the politics. Dan ---
**Author:** ![Precambrianmollusc](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/precambrianmollusc/32/63_2.png) [@Precambrianmollusc](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Precambrianmollusc)\ **Post date:** [March 24, 2021, 8:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/transporting-oil-through-the-suez-canal/938585/15 "2021-03-24T20:12:58Z")
You can certainly discuss the commercial, safety, and environmental considerations a pipe line may have, the ignore politics request just is a way of discussing other things other than the elephant in the room. ---
**Author:** ![Dandan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/a87d85/32.png) [@Dandan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dandan)\ **Post date:** [March 24, 2021, 8:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/transporting-oil-through-the-suez-canal/938585/16 "2021-03-24T20:23:32Z")
You’re right. I simply cannot shut my eyes and not see the freakin’ elephant. Dan ---
**Author:** ![Precambrianmollusc](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/precambrianmollusc/32/63_2.png) [@Precambrianmollusc](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Precambrianmollusc)\ **Post date:** [March 24, 2021, 8:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/transporting-oil-through-the-suez-canal/938585/17 "2021-03-24T20:26:48Z")
Well it is a pretty big beast and yeah any commercial aspects get to politics quickly as well. ---
**Author:** ![Dandan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/a87d85/32.png) [@Dandan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dandan)\ **Post date:** [March 24, 2021, 8:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/transporting-oil-through-the-suez-canal/938585/18 "2021-03-24T20:37:08Z")
Thank you. Dan ---
**Author:** ![DMC](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dmc/32/18049_2.png) [@DMC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DMC)\ **Post date:** [March 24, 2021, 8:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/transporting-oil-through-the-suez-canal/938585/19 "2021-03-24T20:44:50Z")
There is/was a pipeline, but then politics and time got involved. You can definitely overcome the deterioration (time) with enough money. Good luck with a long term agreement with the involved parties politically. > **[Trans-Arabian Pipeline](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trans-Arabian_Pipeline)** > > Pages for logged out editors learn more > > The Trans-Arabian Pipeline (Tapline), was an oil pipeline from Qaisumah in Saudi Arabia to Sidon in Lebanon, active between 1950–1976. In its heyday, it was an important factor in the global trade of petroleum, as well as in American–Middle Eastern political relations, while locally helping with the economic development of Lebanon. > Construction of the Trans-Arabian Pipeline began in 1947 and was mainly managed by the American company Bechtel. Ori... ---
**Author:** ![MikeS](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/919ad9/32.png) [@MikeS](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MikeS)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2021, 11:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/transporting-oil-through-the-suez-canal/938585/20 "2021-03-25T11:39:24Z")
There’s also a pipeline that serves as an alternate to the Suez canal. But of course, a pipeline only goes one direction at a time. > **[Sumed pipeline](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sumed_pipeline)** > > Pages for logged out editors learn more > > The Sumed Pipeline (also known as the Suez-Mediterranean Pipeline) is an oil pipeline in Egypt, running from the Ain Sokhna terminal in the Gulf of Suez, near the Red Sea, to offshore Sidi Kerir port, Alexandria in the Mediterranean Sea. It provides an alternative to the Suez Canal for transporting oil from the Persian Gulf region to the Mediterranean. > The project for an oil pipeline from the Red Sea to the Mediterranean commenced after the exten... [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/transporting-oil-through-the-suez-canal/938585.md?page=2)