The commissioning of Yanbu South Terminal (YST) marked the addition of 3mn barrels per day to the West Coast export capacity when the first VLCC was loaded on October 12, 2018. Yanbu South Terminal, which is located south of Yanbu City on the West Coast of Saudi Arabia, consists of a tank farm and offshore facilities to receive, store and load Arab Light (AL) and Arab Super Light (ASL) crude oil.
“The successful startup of Yanbu South Terminal is another milestone in reinforcing Saudi Aramco position as the world’s leading integrated energy and chemicals producer, operating in a safe, sustainable, reliable and environmentally-friendly manner,” said Abdullah M. Al-Mansour, Executive Head of Pipelines, Distribution, and Terminals.
The facility’s integration with the existing crude oil supply network adds 3mn barrels per day to Saudi Aramco’s export capacity through the West Coast, thereby reinforcing the reputation of Saudi Aramco as a reliable energy supplier to customers throughout the globe.
The Terminal’s program was designed and executed in accordance with the latest Saudi Aramco Engineering standards and specifications where operational, safety and environmental systems are state of the art.
“The successful commissioning and operation of Yanbu South Terminal is a testimony of the Company’s agility in responding to the business environment, and a demonstration of the fine caliber of individuals and teams who will lead the company into the future to support the country’s vision,” said Abdulaziz M. Al-Judaimi, Senior VP , Saudi Aramco Downstream.
This comes at a time when US President Donald Trump has criticised Saudi Arabia (and OPEC in general) for not increasing oil supply, as US sanctions against Iran, slated to resume on November 5, loom. This was one of several factors that helped oil reach its highest price in four year, at $86 per barrel on October 3.
