Saudi energy giant Aramco has shut down its 400,000 barrel-per-day Jazan refinery following the July 25 Houthi attack, according to reports. Repairs to the damaged gasification system and tank farm are expected to be completed by August 15, a three-week outage that would remove roughly 14% of the kingdom's domestic refining capacity.
New reports indicate that Saudi Aramco expects repairs to the Jazan refinery to be completed by August 15, following a three-week shutdown that has taken roughly 14% of the kingdom's domestic refining capacity offline. The timeline, which exceeds initial expectations, reflects damage to the integrated gasification combined cycle (IGCC) system and tank farm sustained in the July 25 Houthi attack.
The attack on the Jazan refinery unfolded over the course of July 25. Initial reports from Houthi-affiliated sources claimed ballistic missile strikes on the facility, with satellite imagery and NASA fire data later confirming a large fire at the tank farm. By 09:26 Jerusalem, Reuters reported that Aramco had shut down the 400,000-barrel-per-day refinery. The Zioneer tracked each of these developments as they emerged.
The July 25 attack was part of a broader escalation against Saudi energy infrastructure. As The Zioneer reported on July 27, Iranian-backed Shia militias in Iraq joined Houthi forces in launching drone strikes on Saudi oil facilities, including the Abqaiq processing plant, marking a significant expansion of the regional campaign against the Kingdom.
The extent of damage to the IGCC system and the full scope of repairs required remain unconfirmed by independent sources. It is not yet clear whether the August 15 target represents a full restoration of capacity or a partial return to operations.
8 developments
- StrongNASA satellite data detects fire at Saudi Aramco Jazan refinery after Houthi strikes
- StrongAramco shuts down pipeline in Al-Baqi and Riyadh area after Yemeni attack, reports say
- StrongFresh satellite imagery shows Jizan refinery still ablaze, smoke plume stretches 77 km
- ConfirmedSaudi authorities issue emergency warnings for Jizan, Yanbu after Houthi attack claims; Jizan alert lifted
Source and signal
- Open-source intake