Tens of billions USD worth of infra that will become obsolete before it is ready (TBM is slooow) as things sort itself out in one way or another. Either Iran run out of drones, USA steps back, or Israel and Gulf countries find someone to pay for a full scale ground operation. Not that that the last two would do any good for the humanity, but Hormuz would be the least of our problems for sure.
Need an ELI5 on this. Feels like UAE/Oman could build a giant Tunnel Boring Machine and build a high capacity pipeline out to the sea. And/or Saudi could build the infra to transfer more capacity than a couple boats out there.
I'm intentionally underselling this effort but genuinely curious.
I imagine the drawbacks include the need for a lot of vulnerable terminal infrastructure at both ends of the pipeline. While the underground pipeline itself should be safe enough, the pumping and storage facilities might represent even more concentrated risk than the Strait itself.
Above ground pipeline seems like it would be difficult to defend, and easy to poke a hole into. I’m guessing a TBM to create an underground pipeline would take decades and billions of $$.
Tens of billions USD worth of infra that will become obsolete before it is ready (TBM is slooow) as things sort itself out in one way or another. Either Iran run out of drones, USA steps back, or Israel and Gulf countries find someone to pay for a full scale ground operation. Not that that the last two would do any good for the humanity, but Hormuz would be the least of our problems for sure.
Need an ELI5 on this. Feels like UAE/Oman could build a giant Tunnel Boring Machine and build a high capacity pipeline out to the sea. And/or Saudi could build the infra to transfer more capacity than a couple boats out there.
I'm intentionally underselling this effort but genuinely curious.
I imagine the drawbacks include the need for a lot of vulnerable terminal infrastructure at both ends of the pipeline. While the underground pipeline itself should be safe enough, the pumping and storage facilities might represent even more concentrated risk than the Strait itself.
No personal knowledge of this stuff, though.
Above ground pipeline seems like it would be difficult to defend, and easy to poke a hole into. I’m guessing a TBM to create an underground pipeline would take decades and billions of $$.
I guess cause when things return to normal no one will use it.
Looking at a map of the area, it's hard not to hear a faint stir of echoes from Project Plowshare.