A drone attack on Saudi Arabia’s largest refinery, Ras Tanura, has forced its closure after a small fire broke out.
Incident at the Refinery
According to the Saudi Press Agency, a small fire broke out at the refinery, caused by debris from two downed drones that attacked the facility. Agency sources reported that the fire has been brought under control.
Ras Tanura’s Significance
Ras Tanura refinery is a key supplier of transport fuels, such as diesel, to customers in Europe. The Saudi facility also produces gasoline. It processes 550,000 barrels of crude oil daily.
Nearby is the largest export terminal of Saudi Aramco for crude oil and petroleum products, including storage tanks, port quays, and sea loading points.
Regional Tensions and Precautions
On Saturday morning, Israel and the US launched airstrikes on targets in Iran. In response, Tehran attacked Israel and US bases in several countries in the region.
Many oil and gas facilities in the Middle East were preemptively closed. In Iraqi Kurdistan, numerous companies suspended production from their fields. Israel also took similar measures, ordering Chevron to temporarily close the giant Leviathan gas field.