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Saudi Arabian gas pipeline was set alight briefly on Tuesday after shots were fired at a police patrol, Reuters has reported.
The incident took place in at the entrance to the village of Awamiya situated in the Qatif region in the oil-rich Eastern Province of Saudi Arabia.
A small fire was started when the pipeline was hit by a bullet in a violent attack against a police car patrolling the region.
One policeman was wounded in the leg, said a spokesman for the Interior Ministry.
The incident had no impact on oil and gas production in the kingdom and the pipeline has now been repaired.
No damage was caused to homes and properties in the region of the attack.
The incident took place on Tuesday after 88 people were arrested on suspicion of plotting “terrorist” attacks.
This is the first time the kingdom’s physical energy infrastructure has been damaged in a violent attack since 2006.
“Given the already heightened tensions in the region at the moment, including between Sunnis and Shi’ites, any incident that leads to damage to Saudi energy infrastructure is going to be of concern to oil markets,” said Simon Wardell for Reuters.
Simon is an analyst at IHS Global Insight in London.
Simon is an analyst at IHS Global Insight in London.
