Aramco began production from Zuluf expansion in October, targeting 600,000 barrels per day
Key Facts
Reports of a fire and increased gas flaring at the Zuluf project on November 12, 2026, could not be verified through an available reliable source, and the Newsquawk page citing Iran’s Fars news agency could not be opened. Available open sources therefore provide no account confirming that a fire occurred or specifying its scale. It was also not possible to verify whether an official confirmation had been issued or what effect the incident had on production. Aramco, meanwhile, had announced in its third-quarter results that production had begun from the Zuluf oil increment. The announcement was part of results published by the company on November 3, 2026, without specifying a more precise start date. (T01)
MEES reported that Aramco began production from the Zuluf expansion in October and expected it to reach full capacity before the end of 2026. The targeted full capacity is 600,000 barrels per day, according to the report. That figure places the expansion among the company’s oil production growth projects, but on its own provides no evidence of an operational disruption at the site. The circulating report of a fire could not be verified in a way that would link it to the start of production or the targeted capacity. According to Aramco, operations have begun, while full capacity remains an expected target before year-end. (f2)
In its third-quarter results, Aramco said geopolitical tensions and attacks on major energy facilities continued to exacerbate the global energy supply crisis during the quarter. The company made the assessment while discussing energy market conditions, without linking it to the Zuluf project or reports of the fire. The results also showed adjusted net income of $31.2 billion in the third quarter of 2026, compared with $28.6 billion in the same period of 2025. Those figures reflect the company’s financial performance for the reported period and do not establish whether an incident at Zuluf occurred or affected its operations. (f3، T06)
Aramco’s average realized oil price was $95.20 per barrel in the third quarter of 2026, compared with $70.10 in the third quarter of 2025, according to the Associated Press. The comparison provides context for the company’s quarterly results but offers no direct indication of the status of facilities at Zuluf on November 12. In its results statement, Chief Executive Amin Nasser said the company continued to explore additional storage capacity overseas and alternative export routes to strengthen the global supply network. The company described these steps as part of efforts to secure supply flexibility amid geopolitical pressures. Aramco did not link the plans to reports of a fire. (T07، T09)
Saudi Arabia’s Energy Ministry announced on September 11, 2026, that the East-West Pipeline had been targeted multiple times, leading to its precautionary shutdown. This provides earlier context on risks to energy infrastructure in the region, but does not establish a connection between that incident and Zuluf. In its third-quarter results, Aramco said other major upstream projects were progressing as planned, including phase two of Jafurah, the expansion of the Fadhili gas plant and the Dammam development. The company provided no details of an incident at Zuluf in that statement. Full capacity at the Zuluf expansion, at 600,000 barrels per day, is still expected before the end of 2026, according to MEES. (T04، T02، f2)