News24
14 Sep 2019, 17:44 GMT+10
Drone attacks sparked fires at two Saudi Aramco oil facilities early Saturday, the interior ministry said, in the latest assault on the state-owned energy giant as it prepares for a much-anticipated stock listing.
There was no immediate claim of responsibility for the attacks on Abqaiq and Khurais, two major Aramco facilities in eastern Saudi Arabia, but it follows a spike in regional tensions with Iran.
"At 4:00 am the industrial security teams of Aramco started dealing with fires at two of its facilities in Abqaiq and Khurais as a result of... drones," the interior ministry said in a statement carried by the official Saudi Press Agency.
"The two fires have been controlled."
The statement added that an investigation had been launched after the attack in the kingdom's Eastern Province but did not specify the source of the drones.
It also did not say if there were any casualties or whether operations at the two facilities had been affected.
The full extent of the damage was not immediately clear as reporters were not allowed near the plants where Saudi authorities appeared to have beefed up security.
In recent months, Yemen's Iran-aligned Huthi rebels have carried out a spate of cross-border missile and drone attacks targeting Saudi air bases and other facilities in what they say is retaliation for a long-running Saudi-led bombing campaign on rebel-held areas.
The Huthis did not immediate claim responsibility for Saturday's attacks, but the rebels' Al-Masirah television tweeted that it would release an "important statement" about a major drone operation in the kingdom.
BP CEO says he'll sell oil projects to meet climate targets
Last month, an attack claimed by Yemen's Huthi rebels sparked a fire at Aramco's Shaybah natural gas liquefaction facility - close to the Emirati border - but no casualties were reported by the company.
Rebel drones also targeted two oil pumping stations on Saudi Arabia's key east-west pipeline in May, shutting it down for several days.
Saudi Arabia's new prince of oil is a lifelong energy insider
Tensions in the Gulf have soared since May, with US President Donald Trump calling off air strikes against Iran at the last minute in June after it downed a US drone.
The United States and Saudi Arabia have also blamed Iran for multiple attacks on tankers in the Gulf.
The latest attacks come as Saudi Arabia, the world's top crude exporter, accelerates preparations for a much-anticipated initial public offering of Aramco.
The mammoth IPO forms the cornerstone of a reform programme envisaged by the kingdom's de facto ruler Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, a son of King Salman, to wean the Saudi economy off its reliance on oil.
Aramco is ready for a two-stage stock market debut including an international listing "very soon", its CEO Amin Nasser told reporters on Tuesday.
Get a daily dose of Travel Trade news through our daily email, its complimentary and keeps you fully up to date with world and business news as well.
Publish news of your business, community or sports group, personnel appointments, major event and more by submitting a news release to Travel Trade.
More InformationOTTAWA, Canada: With Canada Post struggling to maintain operations amid labour unrest, rivals like FedEx and UPS are stepping in to...
NEW YORK, New York - U.S. and global markets showed a mixed performance in Tuesday's trading session, with some indices edging higher...
PARIS, France: French military and intelligence officials have accused China of orchestrating a covert campaign to damage the reputation...
NEW DELHI, India: Birkenstock is stepping up its efforts to protect its iconic sandals in India, as local legal representatives conducted...
HONG KONG: China has fired back at the European Union in an escalating trade dispute by imposing new restrictions on medical device...
NEW YORK, New York - Monday's trading session saw mixed performances across U.S. and global markets, with several major indices posting...
PARIS, France: French military and intelligence officials have accused China of orchestrating a covert campaign to damage the reputation...
PARIS, France: A strike by French air traffic controllers demanding improved working conditions caused significant disruptions during...
WASHINGTON, D.C.: The U.S. government has granted GE Aerospace permission to resume jet engine shipments to China's COMAC, a person...
CAIRO, July 9 (Xinhua) -- Under the strategic guidance of leaders of the two countries, China-Egypt relations have, over the past years,...
New Delhi [India], July 9 (ANI): The Parliamentary Standing Committee on Transport, Tourism and Culture is holding a meeting at Parliament...
Bengaluru (Karnataka) [India], July 9 (ANI): Principal Secretary to Prime Minister P K Mishra visited the Hindustan Aeronautics Limited...