18/05/2026 by Joel Thompson
Saudi Aramco, the state-run oil company of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, recently saw a 25 per cent jump in profits for the first quarter of 2026.
Recognised as the largest oil company in the world, Aramco is also the owner of the Valvoline lubricant brand, which supplies products ranging from heavy-duty grease to industrial gear oil.
While headquartered in Dharan in the Kingdom, Saudi Aramco is a global operator. Its boost in profits arrived after the company successfully moved a selection of its oil exports to a new pipeline that avoided the Strait of Hormuz. The strait is a key location for the oil industry supply chain that has been significantly disrupted by geopolitical tensions and the Iran war.
Commenting on the strategy, CEO and President of Saudi Aramco, Amin Nasser, stated that the oil giant’s East-West Pipeline, running across Saudi Arabia from the oil fields in the east to the Red Sea, currently operates at optimal capacity at seven million oil bpd (barrels per day). The CEO said that the pipeline was assisting to mitigate the effect of an international energy shock and was supplying relief to Aramco’s customers.
This capacity is just a fraction of typical production output for the company. For instance, in Q4 of 2025, Aramco generated 11.1 million bpd. For Q1 of this year, which ended on March 31, the company’s reported profits were recorded at $32.5 billion, up 25 per cent on profits for the same period in 2025.
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