One of the world’s most powerful oil refineries, Ras Tanura, owned by state-owned Saudi Aramco, completely suspended operations on the morning of March 2 following a drone attack that Saudi sources attribute to Iran.
According to Bloomberg sources, several Iranian Shahed-136 drones managed to penetrate air defense systems and hit targets within the complex. The strike caused a small fire, which, according to official statements from Saudi authorities, was quickly contained and extinguished. There were no casualties, and no significant damage to infrastructure was reported. Nevertheless, Aramco management decided to shut down all production facilities as a preventative measure to ensure safety and assess the damage.
Ras Tanura is considered the largest oil refinery in the world, with an installed capacity of approximately 550,000–600,000 barrels of oil per day. The complex plays a key role in the global supply of petroleum products, particularly gasoline, diesel fuel, and jet fuel.
The attack occurred amid a sharp escalation of the conflict between Iran, on the one hand, and the United States and Israel, on the other. The previous day, Iranian forces had already struck American bases in the region, as well as targets in the UAE and other Gulf countries. Saudi Arabia has not officially commented on the origin of the drones, but high-ranking sources in Riyadh and Washington have directly pointed the finger at Tehran.
Oil market experts warn that even a temporary shutdown of Ras Tanura could lead to a significant reduction in petroleum product exports from the region and trigger a rise in prices on global exchanges in the coming days. Brent and WTI futures showed a sharp rise in Asian trading on the morning of March 2.
Saudi Aramco promises to release more detailed information on the resumption of operations within the next few hours. For now, the company states that “the situation is under control” and the fire “has not impacted critical components.”