The Abqaiq stabilization plant is the largest of its kind globally, handling 5% to 7% of the world's oil supply with a capacity of 7 million BPD. Earlier satellite data from EUMETSAT detected a 90 km long smoke plume beginning around 06:45 UTC on September 30. While some analysts initially placed the origin south of the Ayn Dar oil field or attributed the activity to routine flaring, recent ground photos confirm the fire was at the North Ghawar facility.
Tuesday, October 20, 2026
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First Ground Image Places Saudi Oil Smoke at North Ghawar Facility
Commodities20 days ago
A dense plume of black emissions in the Eastern Province erupted at a production site roughly 45 km west of the Abqaiq stabilization plant. Ground-level imagery and updated geospatial analysis identify the location as the North Ghawar production complex, contradicting earlier reports from Iranian state media that Yemen's Houthi forces struck the Abqaiq facility using drones and missiles. The North Ghawar site is part of the Ghawar oilfield, the world's largest conventional oilfield, which provides the crude oil processed at Abqaiq.
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