U.A.E. oil pipeline counters Iran ABU DHABI, United Arab Emirates, July 13 (UPI) -- The opening of an oil pipeline that bypasses the Strait of Hormuz is a major step for energy security in the Persian Gulf, a former U.S. official said. The Los Angeles Times reported this week the U.S. military has sent more assets to the Persian Gulf to patrol shipping lanes in the region. The Iranian government has threatened to block the Strait of Hormuz, a key conduit for maritime oil shipments in the region. Abu Dhabi expects to inaugurate a $3.3 billion crude oil pipeline Sunday that would bypass the Strait of Hormuz. The 230-mile Abu Dhabi crude oil pipeline is designed to carry oil from the western deserts of the United Arab Emirates to the port of Fujairah. It's designed for 1.5 million barrels per day. Danny Sebright, a former U.S. intelligence and Defense Department official, told Bloomberg News the pipeline may encourage similar action in the region. "This is a significant step to maintain the flow of oil if there is ever an issue of security around the (Persian) Gulf," he said. Closing the Strait of Hormuz would jeopardize the transportation of about 20 percent of the world's oil supplies.