Explosion, shooting at vast Saudi oil facility-TV

DUBAI, Feb 24 (Reuters) An explosion was heard at Saudi Arabia's huge Abqaiq oil facility in the Kingdom's eastern oil province today, Al Arabiya television reported.

The Dubai-based station quoted witnesses as saying shooting was heard in the area, also known locally as Baqiq and site of one of Saudi Arabi's biggest oilfields.

No further details were immediately available.

It was not clear if there was any impact on output from the world's largest oil producer and a close U S ally.

Most Saudi oil is exported from the Gulf via the huge Abqaiq processing facility, which handles about two-thirds of the country's output. The facilities at Abqaiq include processing and pumping stations that send oil to major Saudi export terminals.

REUTERS CH KN1932