JEDDAH, 21 September 2006 — A small fire that broke out at Saudi Aramco’s Ras Tanura oil terminal yesterday morning killed an employee but did not affect operations, a spokesman of the company said in a statement.
He said an accidental hydrocarbon leak ignited early this morning at the terminal on the Gulf causing the death of one employee. “The fire took place at approximately 4:50 a.m. and Saudi Aramco emergency responders controlled it in less than an hour,” the spokesman said.
The worker was injured because he was standing near the fire, the official said, adding that the man later died in hospital. “The accident did not affect work at the terminal and Saudi Aramco has set up a committee to investigate the causes of the fire,” he added.
The company expressed its deep sorrow at the death of the employee and conveyed condolences to the bereaved family. In February this year, a gas leak at the company’s Al-Juaymah gas facility killed two employees and injured four others.
The Saudi oil giant reaffirmed its commitment to ensure the safety and security of its employees by preventing leaks and taking other precautionary measures.
Saudi Aramco entered the field of refining in 1941 with a 150 MTPY or 3 MBPD refinery at Ras Tanura. The plant was expanded in 1945 with the construction of a 2.5 MMTPY or 50 MBPD refinery.
