Saudi Aramco’s Ras Tanura refinery hit again amid Gulf tensions

Saudi Arabia’s key oil facility at Ras Tanura was struck again on Wednesday by an unknown projectile said Reuters sources, just two days after a reported drone attack temporarily shut operations at the complex.

Ras Tanura, operated by Saudi Aramco, houses the kingdom’s largest domestic refinery and a major crude export terminal on the Gulf coast. The facility plays a crucial role in global oil supply.

Saudi Arabia’s state news agency, the defence ministry spokesperson said initial indications suggest the latest attack involved a drone and caused no damage. The agency also cited an energy ministry source as saying there was no disruption to oil supplies.

Strait of Hormuz tensions disrupt exports

The incident comes as Saudi Arabia and other Gulf producers, including the United Arab Emirates, Kuwait and Iraq, face mounting challenges in moving oil shipments through the Strait of Hormuz.

Shipping traffic through the strategic waterway has stalled since the United States and Israel launched strikes on Iran last week. Hundreds of vessels are reported to be anchored on either side of the strait as a precaution. Iran has warned it would target ships attempting to transit the choke point.

Sources said Saudi Aramco is working to reroute some crude exports via the Red Sea to bypass the Strait of Hormuz. The company did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

History of attacks on Saudi oil facilities

Saudi Arabia’s energy infrastructure has been targeted before. In September 2019, drone and missile strikes on the Abqaiq and Khurais processing plants temporarily cut more than half of the kingdom’s crude output, shaking global energy markets.

Ras Tanura itself was targeted in 2021 by Yemen’s Iran-aligned Houthi movement, in what Riyadh described at the time as a failed attempt to undermine global energy security.