The United Arab Emirates has temporarily suspended operations at the Ruwais Refinery, one of the world’s largest crude oil processing facilities, after a drone strike ignited a fire in the industrial zone on Tuesday, March 10, 2026.
The refinery, operated by the Abu Dhabi National Oil Company (Adnoc), has a capacity of approximately 922,000 barrels per day and serves as Abu Dhabi’s primary refining hub. It supplies domestic fuel needs and exports significant volumes of gasoline, diesel, and jet fuel to global markets.
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Adnoc confirmed the incident in a brief statement, noting that emergency response teams contained the fire with no reported casualties. Operations remain halted pending a full safety assessment and repair of affected infrastructure. The company is rerouting some production through alternative facilities, but the shutdown is expected to reduce UAE refining throughput significantly in the short term.
The Ruwais strike follows a wave of similar incidents across the Gulf: Saudi Arabia recently suspended operations at its largest refinery after drone attacks. QatarEnergy halted liquefied natural gas (LNG) production and downstream products (urea, polymers, methanol, aluminum) after strikes on gas processing plants.
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Industry experts estimate that combined production cuts in Saudi Arabia, Iraq, the UAE, and Kuwait have already reduced regional output by up to 6.7 million barrels per day. Saudi Aramco and Adnoc are increasing exports via alternative routes as the Strait of Hormuz remains largely closed to commercial traffic due to heightened security risks.
The Ruwais complex is a strategic energy hub, also hosting Adnoc’s chemicals and natural gas operations, Borouge Plc (chemical manufacturing), Fertiglobe PJSC (fertilizer production), and a planned liquefied natural gas export terminal.
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Analysts warn that a prolonged shutdown at Ruwais could force further reductions in UAE crude production, adding pressure to already tight global oil supplies. Brent crude prices, which corrected sharply on Tuesday to around $90/barrel after Monday’s spike above $102, remain highly sensitive to any further escalation.
The incident underscores the vulnerability of critical energy infrastructure in the region amid the ongoing U.S.-Israeli military operations against Iran, now in its second week.
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Adnoc and UAE authorities are continuing investigations into the drone attack while coordinating with regional and international partners to restore operations safely.
This is a developing story with significant implications for global energy security and prices.
DDNewsOnline – Lagos
By Ogungbayi Beedee Adeyemi
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