Abu Dhabi National Oil Company (ADNOC) closed its Ruwais refinery following a fire caused by a drone strike at the facility, marking a significant impact on regional oil production amid ongoing Middle East tensions.
Abu Dhabi’s state oil giant, ADNOC, has temporarily shut down its Ruwais refinery after a drone strike caused a fire at one of the facilities within the complex. An informed source confirmed the closure on Tuesday, stating that the shutdown is a precautionary measure, and that all other operations at the site continue normally. Abu Dhabi’s government media office also reported that authorities responded quickly to the fire and that no injuries were reported. The Ruwais complex, which has a refining capacity of up to 922,000 barrels per day, is a crucial hub for Abu Dhabi’s downstream operations, including chemicals, fertilizers, and industrial gases production.
This incident represents the latest disruption of energy infrastructure linked to the intensifying US-Israeli conflict with Iran, as Tehran has launched retaliatory strikes against neighboring countries. The ongoing hostilities have already led to reduced oil production and nearly halted shipping traffic through the strategic Strait of Hormuz, a vital passageway responsible for about 20% of global oil trade.
Industry analysts from IIR Energy noted that the Ruwais Refinery 2 (West) crude distillation unit with a capacity of 417,000 barrels per day was shut down following the drone attack, and a plant-wide safety shutdown is planned. Previously, ADNOC had reduced output at Ruwais Refinery 1 (East) by 10% to 20% due to regional instability. Other Gulf countries, including Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Kuwait, Iraq, and Qatar, have also curtailed refining activities due to related incidents, with Bahrain and Kuwait declaring force majeure on their oil operations.
Saudi Aramco’s CEO Amin Nasser, addressing a recent fire at the Ras Tanura refinery, emphasized the severe consequences if the Strait of Hormuz remains closed. The combination of these disruptions is contributing to significant volatility in global oil markets. ADNOC, the Abu Dhabi Media Office, and the UAE Foreign Ministry have not immediately provided additional comments on the attack.
Sources referenced:
- https://www.gmanetwork.com/news/topstories/world/979523/uae-oil-giant-adnoc-shuts-ruwais-refinery-after-drone-strike-source-says/story/
