Attack on oil fields: Donald Trump telephones Saudi crown prince

WASHINGTON: President Donald Trump on Sunday telephoned Saudi Crown Prince Muhammad Bin Salman after attacks on two Saudi Aramco plants, including the world’s biggest oil processing facility.

Both the leaders discussed the situation after the recent drone attacks on the oil fields.

During the conversation with MBS, Donald Trump extended his support for the Kingdom for peace and stability. “KSA has the capacity to face this type of aggression”, the Saudi crown prince replied to Trump.

The drone strikes on the world’s biggest oil exporter come as state oil giant Saudi Aramco had accelerated plans for an initial public offering to as early as this year.

The extent of damage from the drone strikes in Abqaiq and Khurais provinces remains unclear. Nine hours after the pre-dawn attacks, Aramco had issued no statement and the authorities have not reported on casualties.

Abqaiq is located 60 km (37 miles) southwest of Aramco’s Dhahran headquarters. It contains the world’s largest oil processing plant, handling crude from the giant Ghawar field and for export to terminals Ras Tanura – the world’s biggest offshore oil loading facility – and Juaymah. It also pumps westwards across the kingdom to Red Sea export terminals.

Khurais, 190 km further southwest, contains the country’s second-largest oilfield.