Abu Dhabi National Oil Company (ADNOC) said on Friday said three of its vessels were attacked by missiles and drones while transiting the Strait of Hormuz this week, taking its total tally since the start of the Iran war to 15.
The United Arab Emirates’ biggest oil producer said it’s taking all necessary steps to meet customer needs while protecting its staff and assets, according to an emailed statement. The attacks have resulted in one fatality and 20 injuries so far, it added.
“ADNOC remains firmly focused on meeting customer requirements despite an exceptionally challenging environment,” the company said. “We continue to be significantly impacted by unprovoked attacks on our people and our assets.”
The US and Israel attacked Iran at the end of February, sparking a regional war that has continued, with brief ceasefires, ever since. The conflict has largely blocked ship traffic out the Gulf via the Hormuz chokepoint. ADNOC has also suffered attacks on its facilities, including the country’s biggest refinery and main natural gas processing plant. The statement didn’t comment on the status of other facilities.
While much of the transit via the Strait of Hormuz remains choked off, ADNOC has moved more crude through it than any other producer over the past two months. Throughout the Iran war, ADNOC has used its own vessels and chartered tankers to shuttle crude and refined products, often under cover of darkness and with military escort, out of the Gulf where the barrels can be transferred to other ships.
The UAE has also been able to route oil through a cross-country pipeline skirting Hormuz.
The ADNOC statement called for freedom of navigation and safe passage, as talks continue between Iran and Oman on a deal to reopen parts of the Strait, likely with restrictions.
(Bloomberg)
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