# Trans-Arabian Pipeline (Tapline) ## Introduction The Trans-Arabian Pipeline (Tapline) was a 1,720 km (1,070 mi) oil pipeline connecting the Persian Gulf in Saudi Arabia to the Mediterranean Sea in Lebanon. Operational from 1950 to 1983, it was the world's longest pipeline at completion and represented a major US foreign investment. The pipeline transported crude oil from Saudi oil fields to Mediterranean terminals, playing a pivotal role in Middle Eastern geopolitics and energy logistics. ## History and Origins ### Pre-World War II Context Before World War II, the United States began leveraging Middle Eastern oil resources through the Lend-Lease Act. Saudi Arabia, a young nation (9 years independent by 1941), faced economic challenges. American interests in the region were represented by the Arabian American Oil Company (ARAMCO), formed by Texaco and Southern California (later Chevron). Post-war, declining US demand necessitated increased European exports, leading to the need for westward oil transport. ### Geopolitical Challenges A key obstacle was the pipeline's route through Syria. The 1949 Syrian coup attempts (part of the Syrian Crisis) complicated construction. Saudi Arabia's King Abd al-Aziz ibn Su’ud opposed a route through Palestine due to the 1948 Arab-Israeli conflict. Consequently, Lebanon was chosen as the terminus, though this increased costs. ARAMCO collaborated with Standard Oil and Socony-Vacuum Oil Company (later Mobil) to finance the project. ## Construction ### Project Timeline Construction began in 1947 after an agreement signed on March 11, 1947. The project was executed by Bechtel, responsible for over 1,360 km of Saudi territory. Despite technical and logistical hurdles—including transporting pipes via sea to Ras al-Miszab and overcoming shallow waters—the pipeline was completed on May 19, 1950. ### Technical Specifications - **Length**: 1,720 km - **Diameter**: 760 mm (30 inches) or 790 mm (31 inches) - **Capacity**: 465,000-500,000 barrels/day initially, later expanded - **Maximum Elevation**: 907 m (2,976 ft) in Saudi Arabia - **Terminals**: Ad-Dammam (Persian Gulf) to Sidon (Mediterranean) - **Daily Capacity**: 39,000 barrels/hour at Sidon terminal ## Operation and Decline ### Early Years First oil arrived in Sidon on November 10, 1950, with the first tanker filled on December 2, 1950. By 1965, Tapline handled 11,212 tankers. The pipeline faced frequent sabotage due to its location in conflict zones: Golan Heights (1973 Yom Kippur War), Syria (1967 Six-Day War), and Lebanon (Lebanese Civil War). Operations halted in 1975 due to escalating costs. ### Final Shutdown In December 1983, Tapline ceased operations on its Lebanese segment (abandoned in January 1984). The terminal and refinery were handed to the Lebanese government. Saudi Arabia later suspended exports via Tapline in 1990 to support Iraq during the Gulf War. ## Legacy Tapline's closure marked the end of an era in Middle Eastern oil infrastructure. Its route through volatile regions highlighted the geopolitical complexities of energy transport. Today, the terminal and refinery in Lebanon remain under government control. ## Metadata - **Population**: null - **Founding Date**: 1950 - **Region Name**: Middle East - **Birth Date**: null - **Career Highlights**: Construction completed May 19, 1950; first oil delivery November 10, 1950 - **Unique Style**: Technical and geopolitical analysis of oil infrastructure - **Interesting Facts**: Longest pipeline at completion; sabotaged 28 times; cost $200 million - **Quotes**: None available - **Primary Color**: null - **Logo URL**: [Wikimedia Commons](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Trans-Arabian_Pipeline.svg) - **Additional Images**: [1](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Tapline_1950.jpg), [2](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Tapline_terminal.jpg), [3](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Bechtel_construction.jpg), [4](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Sidon_terminal.jpg), [5](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Pipeline_route_map.png) ## Sentiment and Trust Profile - **Sentiment**: Positive (50%), Neutral (50%), Negative (0%) - **Trust Profile**: Reliability 80%, Transparency 70%, Expertise 90%, Influence 85%, Stability 75% ## References - [Trans-Arabian Pipeline](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trans-Arabian_Pipeline) - [Bechtel Construction](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bechtel) - [Lebanese Civil War](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lebanese_Civil_War) - [Six-Day War](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Six-Day_War) - [Golan Heights](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Golan_Heights) ## External Links - [Documentary on Tapline Construction](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=example) - [Gallery of Tapline Images](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Category:Trans-Arabian_Pipeline)