UAE oil giant ADNOC shuts Ruwais refinery after drone strike, source says

Abu Dhabi state oil giant ADNOC has shut its Ruwais refinery in response to ‌a fire at a facility within the complex following a drone strike, a source with knowledge of the situation said on Tuesday, marking the latest energy infrastructure disruption due to the US-Israeli war on Iran.

The complex is the site of Abu Dhabi ​National Oil Company (ADNOC) facilities that can refine up to 922,000 barrels of oil a day and ​serves as the central hub for the emirate’s downstream operations, including significant chemical, fertilizer ⁠and industrial gas plants.

Abu Dhabi’s government media office said authorities were responding to a fire at the ​facility after a drone attack, adding there were no injuries. It did not identify the facility.

The attack marks the ​latest since Tehran launched strikes on several of its neighbours in response to the US-Israeli assault on Iran.

The attacks have forced several countries to cut production as shipping in the vital Strait of Hormuz oil transit chokepoint, carrying roughly a fifth ​of global oil flows, has ground to a near halt.

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The refinery has been shut as a precautionary measure, ​the source told Reuters, adding all other operations at the complex were continuing normally Industry monitor IIR Energy said ADNOC was ‌forced to ⁠shut the lone crude distillation unit at its 417,000 barrel-per-day Ruwais Refinery 2 (West) after a drone attack on Tuesday, and is planning to undertake a plant-wide safety shutdown.

IIR said ADNOC had previously reduced operations at multiple units at its 400,000-bpd Ruwais Refinery 1 (East) by around 10% to 20% on March 6 due to the ​regional conflict.

ADNOC, the Abu Dhabi ​Media Office and the ⁠UAE foreign ministry did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

‘Catastrophic consequences’

In neighbouring Saudi Arabia, a small fire from an attack last week on the Ras Tanura ​refinery, its largest domestically, was quickly extinguished and brought under control, oil giant ​Saudi Aramco’s CEO ⁠Amin Nasser said on Tuesday, adding that the refinery was in the process of being restarted.

Nasser warned of “catastrophic consequences” if the strait remains shut, speaking as Aramco reported its results.

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Bahrain’s Bapco Energies on Monday declared force majeure on its ⁠group operations ​after an attack on its oil refinery complex, while Kuwait Petroleum ​Corporation began cutting oil output on Saturday and declared force majeure.

Qatar has also shut its production of liquefied natural gas, which amounts to about ​20% of global exports.