Energy Ministry officials said key Saudi energy facilities have come under multiple attacks in recent days, including oil and gas production, transportation and refining facilities, as well as petrochemical facilities and the power sector in Riyadh, Eastern Province and Yanbu Industrial City.
The attack killed one Saudi national and injured seven other Saudi nationals at the hands of a Saudi energy company’s industrial security personnel, and disrupted numerous operational activities at key facilities in the energy sector.
The attack also involved one of the East-West Pipeline’s pumping stations, leading to throughput losses of approximately 700,000 barrels per day. At this stage, this pipeline is seen as the main route for supplying global markets.
The Manifa production facility was also targeted, reducing its production capacity by approximately 300,000 barrels per day.
In addition, the Khurais facility has been targeted previously, leading to the reduction of 300,000 barrels per day from its production capacity, bringing the total reduction in the kingdom’s production capacity to approximately 600,000 barrels per day.
The attacks also spread to major refinery facilities, including SATORP in Jubail, Ras Tanura refinery, SAMREF refinery in Yanbu, and Riyadh refinery, directly impacting the export of refined products to global markets.
A processing facility in Juaymah was also affected by the fire, impacting exports of liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) and liquid natural gas.
Continuing such attacks will lead to reduced supply and delayed recovery, impacting the security of supplies to consuming countries and increasing volatility in the oil market, the official said.
This is already having a negative impact on the global economy, particularly as significant portions of operational and emergency stocks have been depleted, impacting the availability of supplies and limiting the ability to respond to this supply shortage, the official added.
