Saudi Aramco Suspends Ras Tanura Refinery Operations Following Suspected Drone Strike
Saudi Aramco has halted operations at its Ras Tanura refinery after a fire broke out due to a suspected drone attack. The disruption has stopped crude oil loading at the facility, which typically processes 550,000 barrels per day. This marks the second incident affecting Aramco's operations within a week.
Bloomberg reports LINK the attack to recent drone and missile strikes by Iran targeting Gulf neighbors. Ras Tanura, a critical oil export terminal and refining hub, serves major markets in Europe and Asia, including China, Japan, and South Korea.
The refinery processes crude from Ghawar (the world's largest conventional oil field), Abqaiq, and Khurais—the latter two having suffered attacks in 2019 that temporarily halved Saudi Arabia's oil output. A prolonged shutdown could trigger global oil price volatility, echoing the 1990 Gulf War spike.
