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2019 Abqaiq–Khurais attack
Part of Yemeni Civil War (2015–present) and Saudi Arabian-led intervention in Yemen
Type	Drone attack
Location	Saudi Arabia 25°55′43″N 49°41′09″E / 25.92861°N 49.68583°E / 25.92861; 49.68583
Target	Saudi Aramco oil facilities
Date	14 September 2019 04:00 local time
Executed by	Houthis,  Iran (alleged by the United States government, denied by Iran)
Outcome	Oil factories damaged ARAMCO oil exports disrupted by 5.7 million barrels a day Saudis will resume oil production after attack Saudi stock market plummets, with Saudi oil continuing to decline
Abqaiq

The 2019 Abqaiq–Khurais attack was a drone attack that targeted the Saudi Aramco oil factories in eastern Saudi Arabia on 14 September 2019. The attack caused large fires at the factories, which were put out after several hours according to the Saudi Arabian interior ministry. The Houthi movement in Yemen claimed responsibility for the attack. The attack is part of the events surrounding the Saudi Arabian intervention in the Yemeni Civil War.

Attack

At around 4:00 a.m. local time, Saudi Aramco reported that it was dealing with fires at their Abqaiq facility, and Khurais facility in Saudi Arabia. It was believed that the attack was done by multiple drones, as machine gun firing could be heard on the recordings of the adhan (Islamic call to prayer) near the facilities as the guards there fired to try to bring down the drones. The fires were contained a few hours later, with no reported fatalities, though unclear if anyone was injured in the attack.

The Abqaiq facility is considered by Aramco as "the largest crude oil stabilization plant in the world", converting sour crude by removing sulfur impurities into sweet crude oil, before it is transported to further oil refineries, processing upwards of 7 million barrels of oil per day or about 7% of the daily global oil production. Bob McNally, a former member of the United States' National Economic Council and National Security Council, had previously stated that a successful attack on the Abqaiq facility "would be akin to a massive heart attack for the oil market and global economy". The Abqaiq facility had been the site of a prior failed suicide bombing by Al-Qaeda in 2006. The Khurais oil field produces about 1.5 million barrels of crude a day, and estimated to hold up to 20 billion barrels of oil.

Perpetrator

The Saudi Arabia ministry did not identify the source of the attack but began an investigation.

The Houthis issued a statement hours after the attack, claiming responsibility for sending ten drones to disable the oil production facilities. Saudi Arabia has led a Western-backed coalition in support of the ousted Yemeni president against the Houthis. The Saudi-led coalition is trying to reclaim Yemen from the Houthis, while the Houthis seek to have international recognition of their government.

In the weeks prior, there had been similar drone attacks on the Saudi Arabian oil infrastructure but had not had significant damage or impact. The Houthis have asserted that these attacks are their right in retaliation for airstrikes and other attacks in Yemen from the Saudi-led coalition. In their statement on the oil production attack, a military spokesman for the Houthis said that "These attacks are our right, and we promise the Saudi regime that the next operation will be wider and more painful if the blockade and aggression continues".

The United States said that it is working with Saudi Arabia to help investigate the attack and assure the facilities and energy supplies are secure and stable; U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo has asserted that Iran was behind the attacks. Iran denied the accusations saying they were "blind, incomprehensible and meaningless".

Aftermath

Saudi Arabian officials stated that the attacks forced the shutdown of the facilities, cutting the country's oil production from 9.8 to about 4.1 million barrels of oil a day, losing 5.7 million barrels of oil a day or about 5% of the daily global production. The plants were expected to be returned to their nominal capacity by 16 September 2019, and would use reserve oil to make up for the deficiency. There was no immediate change in the price of oil on the spot market since the global markets were closed for the weekend.

See also

• 2019 East–West Pipeline attack
• 2019 Shaybah attack

References

1. ^ Said, Summer; Malsin, Jared; Donati, Jessica (September 14, 2019). "U.S. Blames Iran for Attack on Saudi Oil Facilities". The Wall Street Journal. Retrieved September 14, 2019.
2. https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2019-09-15/saudis-race-to-restore-oil-output-after-crippling-aramco-attack
3. http://english.alarabiya.net/en/business/markets/2019/09/15/Saudi-stocks-fall-sharply-after-oil-facility-attacks.html
4. ^ Gambrell, Jon (September 14, 2019). "Yemen's Houthi rebels launch drones on 2 big Saudi oil sites". Associated Press. Retrieved September 14, 2019.
5. ^ "Houthi drone attacks on 2 Saudi Aramco oil facilities spark fires". www.aljazeera.com.
6. "Drone strikes set Saudi oil facilities ablaze". BBC News. September 14, 2019 – via www.bbc.com.
7. ^ "Major Saudi Arabia oil facilities hit by Houthi drone strikes". The Guardian. Associated Press. September 14, 2019 – via www.theguardian.com.
8. ^ "US blames Iran for attacks on Saudi oil facilities". BBC News. 2019-09-15.
9. "Yemen's Houthi rebels claim a 'large-scale' drone attack on Saudi oil facilities". CNN.
10. "The Latest: Trump calls Saudi crown prince after attack". Washington Post.

• Current events from September 2019
• 2019 in Saudi Arabia
• Yemeni Civil War (2015–present)
• Military history of Saudi Arabia
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