Reports: Blast at oil refinery

[Tripmann]

http://www.sky.com/skynews/article/0,,30000-1213367,00.html

There are reports of an explosion at a saudi arabia oil refinery

[Tin Man]

1. Abqaiq refinery in Saudi Arabia is world's largest

The Aramco Abqaiq refinery is the world's largest oil and gas stabilization plant with a crude processing capacity of 13 million barrels per day.

Typical production is in the range of 5-7 million barrels per day, which represents just over 80% of Saudi Arabia's light to medium arab crude production.

Of this production, 93% is for export, so it is loaded directly into ocean-going tankers, the remainder being used for local consumption.

http://64.233.179.104/search?q=cache:mrNUd-PNfMAJ:www.engineeringtalk.com/news/ics/ics113.html+Abqaiq+refinery&hl=en&gl=us&ct=clnk&cd=1

[SpiralHawk]

3. Thanks a pantload, George Bush and Republlican Oil Cronies

what a mess you have made of our planet

[GrpCaptMandrake]

2. Thanks

Will track.

Welcome to DU!


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[Tripmann]

4. Cheers for that!

I've actually been a member nearly 2 years but don't post unless I've something useful to add......

Tripmann

[Tripmann]

5. Oh dear, here we go

"World oil prices have risen sharply at the news"

[jayfish]

6. $5.00/Gal. Gas By Monday? -NT-

Jay

[rodeodance]

9. on Democracy Now--Joe Barton is investigating Citco/Venezulia for

lowering oil prices.

[rodeodance]

10. Barton is saying it is part of Chevez 'larger agenda"

[rodeodance]

11. He has asked for records--wants to find out how/why Citco able to give

away oil at lower prices.

[rodeodance]

12. Rep. Jose Serrano, Dem NY is being interviewed.

[xchrom]

7. another day in bush world.

[Tripmann]

8. BBC reporting shots were fired

Looks like it wasn't an accident.

[xchrom]

13. any links on that bbc report?

[Tin Man]

21. if true, could be an Al Queda attack

...that's why oil futures are reacting so sharply at the news.

Saudi Arabia shares the joint distinction of being the world's largest oil exporter AND the birthplace of Al Queda. The Saudi government and oil industry is keenly aware of the threat, and has worked tirelessly to minimize the threat to their oil industry infrastructure.

Now, let's take a moment to 'zoom-out' for a 'big picture view' of other threats to global oil production....

1) Iraq, formerly a significant oil exporter, is sqeezing out only a fraction of former production due to inability to control insurgent attacks.
2) The hardline Islamist government Iran, another significant oil exporter, has been threatening to embargo oil exports to western nations as part of the ongoing nuclear confrontation with the UN.
3) President Hugo Chavez in Venezula has also made threatening statements about initiating an embargo against the US.
4) Nigeria, another significant oil exporter, has recently been swept-up in the Cartoon Riots - resulting in hundreds of killings and widespread civil unrest that could threaten production facilities there.

If Al Queda were timing an attack in Saudi Arabia, i.e. waitin for an opportunity in which AQ could maximize the global impact caused by such an attack, right about now would be a very good time to do so...

[AndyA]

14. Fill up your gas tanks!

Gas prices will be going up, up, and away again!

What a mess this world is in today. Anyone care to venture the one person who could be held responsible for the mess?




Anyone?

[Frank Cannon]

16. Does his name rhyme with tush? (n/t)

[allemand]

15. Report: Attack Foiled on Saudi Oil Refinery

CAIRO, Egypt - An explosion occured Friday at a major oil refinery in Baqiq, eastern Saudi Arabia, a Saudi oil official said.

The pan-Arab satellite channel Al-Arabiya TV reported the authorities foiled an attempt to bomb the refinery with two vehicles packed with explosives. The channel did not give a source for the report, which appeared on its scrollbar.

Earlier Al-Arabiya quoted its reporter in the kingdom as saying shots as well as an explosion were heard, and they may have been part of an attempt to attack the refinery. (...)

The al-Qaida terror group has long called for attacks on Saudi oil installations, accusing the country's government of selling oil to the West at cheap prices. The group is run by the Saudi-born Osama bin Laden who seeks to topple the Saudi monarchy and replace it with an Islamic state.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20060224/ap_on_re_mi_ea/saudi_explosion_6

[Cessna Invesco Palin]

19. Sounds like there was no damage to the refinery. n/t

[daleo]

25. If there was, would they tell us?

I really wonder about stuff like this nowadays.

[Cessna Invesco Palin]

26. Hmm...

The Saudis? No, they probably wouldn't. On the other hand, if any serious damage were done we'd know soon enough due to a drop in their oil output.

[daleo]

27. Anything serious could also be seen in a satellite photo

But, I guess we will just have to watch the price of oil and come to our own conclusions.

[Frank Cannon]

20. Al-Qaeda, huh? Once again, Bush and/or his oil cronies will benefit...

from an "al-Qaeda" action, when the price of gas escalates yet again.

This has been going on for five or more years.

Follow the money and always ask, "Who benefits?"

[Roland99]

23. Considering we don't get much of our oil from Saudi Arabia

and we refine most of our own gas, right?

I wonder if gas will remain the same.








naaaaaahhh

[godai]

17. BBCNEWS...Saudis foil bomb attack on oil refinery

[GrpCaptMandrake]

18. CNN just mentioned it, too.

"Gunfire may have been part of an attempt to gain entry to the facility."

Duh!!!!!

Ya think?

:sarcasm:

"Re-stating the obvious . . . THIS . . . is CNN."

[shadowknows69]

22. interesting sidenote perhaps

3 days ago my wife, who manages the deli in a convenient store was told by her boss that he was informed by his oil company that prices would be going up sharply very soon. Think we should dust off the tin foil hats on this one?

[Strelnikov_]

28. I Don't Think Tinfoil Is Required For That Prognostication

- Deteriorating relations with Venezuela.
- Deteriorating conditions in Nigeria.
- Deteriorating conditions in Iraq.
- US/Iranian saber rattling.
- Deteriorating relations between Sunni's and Shiite (who live mostly in oil regions, under Sunni control).
- Production from the worlds four largest oil fields falling into depletion.
- Another major hurricane season approaching, with 25% (or more) of GOM capacity still shut-in.
And, the probably the most ominous:
- OPEC threatening to cut production in March (as someone else said, "Is OPEC cutting production, or is production cutting OPEC?").

Considering that the world is now consuming nearly every drop that can be produced, any 'event' will result in shortfalls, therefore an oil price spike, even from current levels, in inevitable.

[cliss]

31. Also -

some of the OPEC members are now requesting a cutback in production. Venezuela for one has requested that all members restrict their output. The result would be higher oil prices.

Chavez wants higher oil prices, for obvious reasons. I also believe Ahmadinejad has requested that. It's in their best interest to cut back. When prices go up, they will make more revenue.

And it's quite understandable. U.S. Petrodollars have been going down in value. Saudi Arabia in particular has been upset about seeing their dollar holdings go down in value each year. I'm sure they would like to see a restriction in output.

Also, it's certainly a way to tighten the noose which around the Industrial economies. If Chavez & Iran wanted to jerk the US's chain, that's the way to do it. In fact, they will kill 2 birds with one stone. Most delicious reason of them all: when gas prices go up, Bush's poll numbers go DOWN DOWN DOWN. Can you imagine a more tempting reason?

The writing is on the wall: be prepared for higher gas prices.

[sattahipdeep]

24. Their own soil

Why would bu$h want them manageing our ports......when they can't keep attacks
from their own soil.

[Zhade]

29. Um...this was in SA, not the UAE.

NT!

[Javaman]

30. A sign of things to come...nt