Terrorist Attacks on Saudi Oil Facilities Threaten Efforts to Stabilize Energy Markets

The Khurais oilfield operated by oil giant Saudi Aramco, about 160 km from Riyadh. (Reuters)
The Khurais oilfield operated by oil giant Saudi Aramco, about 160 km from Riyadh. (Reuters)
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Terrorist Attacks on Saudi Oil Facilities Threaten Efforts to Stabilize Energy Markets

The Khurais oilfield operated by oil giant Saudi Aramco, about 160 km from Riyadh. (Reuters)
The Khurais oilfield operated by oil giant Saudi Aramco, about 160 km from Riyadh. (Reuters)

The continued terrorist attacks on oil facilities in Saudi Arabia will negatively affect the global economies that are currently suffering from the repercussions of the coronavirus, and will also squander international efforts to enhance the stability of energy markets, experts told Asharq Al-Awsat.

They warned that oil prices would continue to rise in the coming period if the world did not respond to terrorist attempts, which might lead to adverse consequences on the international economy.

In September 2019, the Kingdom witnessed terrorist attacks against Aramco’s oil facilities at Abqaiq and Khurais in eastern Saudi Arabia. On Sunday, attacks targeted one of the oil reservoir yards in the port of Ras Tanura in the Eastern Province, and immediately caused oil prices to rise above USD 71 per barrel.

Former senior advisor to the Minister of Energy, Dr. Mohammad Al-Sabban told Asharq Al-Awsat that the global energy markets were affected as a result of the recent attack, while the impact on prices was immediately noticed.

One of the drones that targeted Ras Tanura came from the sea, and may have originated directly from Iran, he remarked, stressing that this terrorist behavior in the region must be deterred in order to ensure global energy security in various parts of the world.

“The shortage in supplies affects prices, and is reflected in global economies that are experiencing a slowdown as a result of the coronavirus pandemic,” Sabban warned.

Researcher and writer on energy and climate affairs, Iman Abdullah told Asharq Al-Awsat that the recent attack on Saudi oil facilities at Ras Tanura - one of the largest oil shipping ports in the world – have sparked talks about the consequences and repercussions on the world’s “security of energy supplies”.

Abdullah underlined the need to take strict international measures to preserve the safety of oil supplies through strategic waterways in the Arabian Gulf, stressing that the interruption and scarcity of supply would threaten the security of the global economy.

An official source at the Ministry of Energy said on Monday that one of the oil reservoirs in Ras Tanura Port was targeted on Sunday morning by a drone coming from the sea, noting that the attempted attack failed to cause human or material damage.

The source emphasized that the Kingdom considered such attacks “a flagrant violation of all international laws and norms” and called on the world and its organizations to stand against these actions targeting civilians and vital installations, which threaten the security and stability of global energy supplies.



Aramco Inaugurates Regional Center for Sustainable Fishery Development on Abu Ali Island

tthe inauguration of the regional center for sustainable fishery development, Arabian Gulf branch, was made in cooperation with the Ministry of Energy and the Ministry of Environment, Water and Agriculture. Aramco
tthe inauguration of the regional center for sustainable fishery development, Arabian Gulf branch, was made in cooperation with the Ministry of Energy and the Ministry of Environment, Water and Agriculture. Aramco
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Aramco Inaugurates Regional Center for Sustainable Fishery Development on Abu Ali Island

tthe inauguration of the regional center for sustainable fishery development, Arabian Gulf branch, was made in cooperation with the Ministry of Energy and the Ministry of Environment, Water and Agriculture. Aramco
tthe inauguration of the regional center for sustainable fishery development, Arabian Gulf branch, was made in cooperation with the Ministry of Energy and the Ministry of Environment, Water and Agriculture. Aramco

Saudi Aramco announced on Thursday the inauguration of the regional center for sustainable fishery development, Arabian Gulf branch, in cooperation with the Ministry of Energy and the Ministry of Environment, Water and Agriculture.

Through this collaboration, Saudi Aramco aims to highlight its investments in citizenship initiatives and its efforts to drive economic growth, support local fishermen and their livelihoods, build expertise, and adopt the best practices to enhance production and cultivate fish of marketable sizes that can compete globally.

The center is part of the company's broader efforts to protect marine life in the Arabian Gulf. It involves the establishment of a fish hatchery on Abu Ali Island in Jubail, located on the Arabian Gulf coast, designed to produce local fish species that have experienced population declines due to fishing practices and to reintroduce them into Gulf waters.

The center's operations are designed to encompass the complete fish life cycle within designated tanks, from broodstock for egg production to larval rearing using plankton produced on-site and finally to the release of juvenile fish into the Arabian Gulf. The hatchery employs advanced aquaculture technologies to ensure fish health, and it utilizes top-tier water recycling techniques to enhance performance and meet the company's circular economy objectives.

The project aligns with Saudi Aramco's mangrove plantation initiative, under which more than 43 million trees have been planted to date. Mangrove forests provide vital nursery habitats for the juvenile fish released into the Gulf, further supporting the sustainability of marine ecosystems.