The 1.8 million-barrel-per day Abu Dhabi crude oil pipeline that runs from Habshan oilfield in Abu Dhabi to Fujairah to export oil without passing through the Strait of Hormuz on Sunday was inaugurated by Minister of Energy Mohammed bin Dhaen Al Hamili.

"500,000 barrels of oil were pumped for around 400 kilometres through the new link from Abu Dhabi to the port of Fujairah went to a refinery in Pakistan," Khadem Abdullah Al- Qubaisi, managing director of the International Petroleum Investment Co. (IPIC) which runs the project said.

The system is capable of pumping as much as 1.8 million barrels a day and has eight tanks with a storage capability of one million barrels each, nine multi-purpose pumping terminals and three offshore loading facilities.

The pipeline, Al Qubaisi noted, is the most important project of its kind so far for the emirate of Abu Dhabi as it transports oil to Gulf of Oman bypassing the Strait of Hormuz and therefore reduces time, effort and money of exporting oil.

The oil, pumped though a new link from Abu Dhabi to the port of Fujairah, will go to Pakistan Refinery Co., Khadem Al- Qubaisi, managing director of the state-owned investment fund known as IPIC, said in Fujairah in the United Arab Emirates. IPIC owns a stake in the Pakistani plant.

Saeed Al Dhanhani, director of the office of the Ruler of Fujairah said the inauguration of the pipeline to export the UAE's oil through Fujairah will add a boost the emirate's economic development to keep up with its tourism boom.

The strategic location of Fujairah is extremely important both regionally and internationally as the world focuses its attention on having and sustaining energy sources.