Aramco radically reshaped supply chains for its 400,000 b/d Jazan refinery last year to protect against Houthi attacks on shipping in the southern Red Sea. The refinery’s location on the Red Sea coast less than 100km from the Yemen border meant it was always especially vulnerable to potential cross-border Houthi attacks, especially as it was designed to run on Arab Medium feedstock shipped from Saudi Arabia’s Gulf coast terminals.
In order to mitigate against this risk, Aramco stopped transfers of Arab Medium from the Gulf coast to Jazan in July 2024 and instead began supplying the refinery with a blend of Arab Light and Arab Heavy from its Red Sea terminals at Yanbu. The blend replicated the qualities of Arab Medium, which can’t be exported from Yanbu, and the new route bypassed the Houthi risk. (CONTINUED - 619 WORDS)
