The extent of the damage caused by airstrikes at two major Saudi oil facilities was revealed Friday.
Journalists toured the wreckage at the Abqaiq and Khurais oil facilities — where a charred oil stabilization tower stood, broken pieces of pipe were punctured with holes and twisted hunks of metal were piled up.
The drone and missile attacks at the two plants owned by state-run company Aramco — described as “the largest crude oil stabilization plant in the world” — on Saturday sent oil prices soaring and stoked fears of war as many blamed Iran.
The oil field, which has been targeted by militants in the past, is believed to produce over 1 million barrels of crude oil a day.
Officials said 110 contractors evacuated the site after the attack and there were no injuries. The oil field was back online within 24 hours of the attack, they said.
Khalid Buraik, Aramco’s vice president for southern area oil operations, said the company will resume full oil production by the end of September.
Iran has denied involvement, with Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif threatening “all-out war” if the US or Saudi Arabia launches military strikes in retaliation.
With Post wires
