DOE, Bodman 'closely monitoring' Saudi oil situation: spokesman

New York (Platts)--24Feb2006

US Department of Energy officials, including Secretary Samuel Bodman, are
"closely monitoring" the situation in Saudi Arabia, where terrorists attempted
to blow up the world's largest oil processing facility Friday, a spokesman
said.

     "Officials from the Department of Energy, including the Secretary
himself, are in touch with individuals in Saudi Arabia..," the DOE spokesman
said via email. "We understand that the facility's operations are under
control, and there has been no interruption in its work. The Secretary will
continue to receive updates throughout the weekend."

     Saudi security forces Friday shot dead two suspected terrorists who tried
to blow up two bomb-laden cars at the Abqaiq processing plant, which handles 
two-thirds of the crude production in the world's biggest oil exporter. 

     The Saudi Oil Ministry was quick to announce that neither production nor
exports were affected as crude prices moved sharply higher in response to the
attack, the first direct attempt to strike at an oil installation in the
kingdom.

		--Beth Evans, beth_evans@platts.com

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