Explosion and fire reported at Aramco site in Saudi Arabia

Saudi Arabia has seen an explosion at a major oil processing plant in the kingdom's east.
2 min read
14 September, 2019
A blaze was reported at a Saudi Aramco plant in the kingdom's east [file photo-Getty]

A major fire at an oil processing plant in eastern Saudi Arabia, said to have been caused by an explosion, has been brought under control, Saudi TV channel Al-Arabiya reported early Saturday.

The Dubai-based broadcaster had reported from a correspondent in the area that a blaze had broken out at a Saudi Aramco site in Buqyaq, near Dammam in the kingdom's Eastern Province.

"A fire which broke out at a Saudi Aramco facility in Abqaiq on Saturday has been controlled, according to an Al Arabiya correspondent, with the cause of the incident still unknown,"

"Saudi Arabian authorities are expected to issue an official statement on the cause of the fire at Saudi Aramco’s Abqaiq facility later on, the correspondent added."

It did not elaborate on the cause of the blaze. 

Saudi royal court adviser Turki Alalshikh condemned "lies and rumours" on social media after a number of alleged videos of the blaze were shared on Twitter, including some that featured the sound of explosions and gunfure.

"Praise to God, safe and secure... Buqyaq is well," he tweeted.

Buqyaq hosts the world's largest oil processing plant, where it is exported.

State media in Saudi Arabia have not reported on the incident, but authorities are expected to make a statement later.

An Aramco plant at Buqyaq was targeted by Al-Qaeda-linked suicide bombers in 2006 in a failed assault.

Other areas of Saudi Arabia have been targeted by Houthi rebels in Yemen and allegedly by Iraqi Iran-linked militias, including oil pipelines.

Saudi Aramco is preparing for an IPO, expected to be the world's largest.

Agencies contributed to this story