The energy company told its Dhahran-based workforce on Thursday to abandon the main campus and transition to remote operations. This order marks the first evacuation of Aramco’s headquarters since the onset of the war with Iran, according to sources familiar with the matter. While the world’s largest oil producer has not released an official statement, oil production remains unchanged despite the disruption to its main office.
The security move follows a ballistic missile strike on October 13 that sparked fires across several floors of the facility’s Tower Building, which houses the primary operations center for the firm’s rigs, pipelines, and refineries. Recent Houthi drone attacks targeting Dammam airport and the Shaybah oilfield killed four people, occurring as the U.S. government ordered non-essential diplomatic staff to leave Saudi Arabia. Brent crude is currently trading at $112 per barrel.