Trans-Arabian Pipeline

<p>The Trans-Arabian Pipeline (Tapline), was an <a href="/facts/Oil_pipeline/gEmKcFhD">oil pipeline</a> from <a href="/facts/Qaisumah/4jyaXkb7">Qaisumah</a> in <a href="/facts/Saudi_Arabia/uyUpe1J2">Saudi Arabia</a> to <a href="/facts/Sidon/S6fPpKPY">Sidon</a> in <a href="/facts/Lebanon/2dReTXyp">Lebanon</a>, active 1950–1976. In its heyday, it was an important factor in the <a href="/facts/Global_trade/jB2m5TGX">global trade</a> of <a href="/facts/Petroleum/IQV0bHVd">petroleum</a>, as well as in American–Middle Eastern political relations, while locally helping with the economic development of Lebanon. The pipeline was built and operated by the Trans-Arabian Pipeline Company, now a fully owned subsidiary of <a href="/facts/Aramco/T872bqk7">Aramco</a>. It largely ceased functioning in 1983 and completely stopped operating in 1990.
</p><p>Tapline was the second long distance oil pipeline built in the Middle East outside of Iran. The <a href="/facts/Iraq_Petroleum_Company/lb35uPHy">Iraq Petroleum Company</a> had completed the twin 12-inch <a href="/facts/Kirkuk-Haifa_oil_pipeline/DAYj8d0A">Kirkuk-Haifa oil pipeline</a> in 1934 and already laid a 16-inch loop in 1948-1949 and reached a nameplate capacity of 250,000 barrels per day. IPC had to shut down half of it when Iraq refused to cooperate with Israel. Once finished with the Tapline project, Bechtel went on to construct <a href="/facts/Kirkuk-Baniyas_pipeline/FBT7o7qJ">a 30-inch loop</a> to the Iraq pipeline, which had a capacity of 300,000 barrels per day and was finished in April 1952.
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Trans-Arabian Pipeline open-in-new

Trans-Arabian Pipeline