Saudi Arabia in the firing line
The oil facility attacks highlight potentially fatal vulnerabilities in Saudi Arabia’s critical infrastructure
Oil prices retrenched as the prospect of a full-blown war with Iran—blamed by both Saudi Arabia and a sanctions expanding Trump administration in Washington for the c.25 armed drones and cruise missiles assault on the world’s largest oil stabilisation plant at Abqaiq and Khurais, the kingdom’s second-largest oilfield situated about 200km (124 miles) southwest of Abqaiq—receded. Some analysts hail Saudi Aramco’s ability to restore calm in the aftermath of the incident. “Despite the damaging attacks, it is remarkable how resilient the Saudi infrastructure is proving to be,” says Jan Kalicki, an energy security expert at the Wilson Center, a Washington-based thinktank. “About half is to be r
Also in this section
24 December 2025
As activity in the US Gulf has stagnated at a lower level, the government is taking steps to encourage fresh exploration and bolster field development work
23 December 2025
The new government has brought stability and security to the country, with the door now open to international investment
23 December 2025
A third wave of LNG supply is coming, and with it a likely oversupply of the fuel by 2028
22 December 2025
Weakening climate resolve in the developed world and rapidly growing demand in developing countries means peak oil is still a long way away






