RIYADH: Firefighters controlled a blaze that broke out early Sunday at Saudi Aramco’s Jazan refinery in southwestern Saudi Arabia, officials said, with no injuries reported as authorities began reviewing the cause of the incident.
Saudi Arabia’s Energy Ministry said Aramco’s industrial security teams quickly responded to the fire and brought it under control. The ministry added that relevant authorities were completing safety procedures and handling the situation, but officials did not provide details about what caused the fire.
The Jazan refinery is located near the Red Sea, close to Saudi Arabia’s border with Yemen. The facility is one of the country’s major oil processing sites and has the capacity to process about 400,000 barrels of crude oil every day.
The refinery produces several petroleum products, including gasoline and ultra low sulfur diesel, which are used for transportation and industrial purposes.
The incident comes after the Jazan refinery was temporarily shut down on July 27 following an attack by Yemen’s Houthi group, according to a report from energy consultancy, the attack reportedly damaged parts of the refinery’s Integrated Gasification Combined Cycle (IGCC) facility and nearby storage areas.
The Houthis had claimed responsibility for strikes targeting Aramco facilities in Jazan and Yanbu. The attacks raised concerns that threats against Red Sea shipping routes and Saudi Arabia’s energy infrastructure could increase wider disruptions.
Saudi Aramco CEO Amin Nasser said last week recent attacks on company facilities caused some temporary production disruptions. However, he said the company was confident that operations could be restored quickly.
Nasser added that the attacks did not create any major impact on Aramco’s overall operations or financial performance. Saudi authorities continue to monitor energy facilities across the country and maintain security measures around key infrastructure.
