Saudi Aramco shut down state oil refinery after drone attack

POBNEWS24, Desk report Dhaka Mar 2, 2026 : Saudi Arabia’s state oil company Saudi Aramco has shut down its Ras Tanura refinery after a drone attack, Reuters reported. This is the third day of Tehran’s retaliation in response to US and Israeli attacks on Iran.
The Ras Tanura complex is located on Saudi Arabia’s Gulf coast. It is home to one of the largest refineries in the Middle East. It has the capacity to refine 550,000 barrels of oil per day. It is an important hub for Saudi crude exports.
Sources said the refinery was shut down as a precautionary measure. The situation is under control. A Saudi defense ministry spokesman told Al Arabiya TV that two drones were shot down. Small fires broke out in the debris. However, there were no casualties.
The closure of Ras Tanura has raised concerns about oil supplies. About a fifth of the world’s oil passes through the Strait of Hormuz. The attack on the ship has brought traffic to a near standstill. Brent crude prices rose about 10 percent on Monday.
“The attack on the Ras Tanura refinery in Saudi Arabia is a sign of a major escalation. Energy infrastructure in the Gulf has now become a direct target for Iran,” said Torbjorn Saltvedt, Middle East analyst at risk analyst firm Verisk Maplecroft. Aramco did not immediately comment.
Saudi Arabia’s energy facilities have been attacked several times before. In September 2019, large drone and missile attacks were carried out on the Abqaiq oil facility and the Khurais oil field. At that time, more than half of the country’s oil production was temporarily stopped. There was great instability in global markets.
Saudi Aramco, a state-owned company of Saudi Arabia, is the world’s largest oil and chemical company. At the same time, it is the world’s eighth largest company in terms of market capitalization. The company’s headquarters is in Dhahran, Saudi Arabia, founded in 1933. As a state-owned company, this company controls 100 oil and gas fields. Aramco’s oil reserves are 270 billion barrels. Their daily production capacity is 12.7 million or 12.7 million barrels. In 2024, the company earned 605 billion or 605 billion dollars. During this time, they made a profit of 161 billion or 161 billion dollars. They have not yet published their 2025 accounts. He also said, “This attack could bring Saudi Arabia and neighboring Gulf countries closer to the military operations of the United States and Israel.”