No disruption to oil imports after Saudi attack, says Centre

New Delhi, Sep 16: Amid fears of oil supply disruption following a drone attack on Saudi Aramaco - the world's biggest crude-processing plant, Union Minister Dharmendra Pradhan on Monday assured that oil supplies to India will not be disrupted.

"We have reviewed our overall crude oil supplies for the month of September with our oil marketing companies (OMCs). We are confident there would be no supply disruption to India. We are closely monitoring the evolving situation," Pradhan tweeted.

The minister also said that Aramaco has assured India of a steady supply.

"Following the attacks on the oil stabilization centres of @Saudi_Aramco, top executives of Aramco have been contacted. Indian ambassador in Riyadh @IndianEmbRiyadh contacted the senior management of Aramco to ensure steady supply to India," he said..

Saudi Arabia is the world's biggest oil exporter and a major source of energy for India. It is the second largest supplier of crude oil and cooking gas to India.

A massive drone strike on the world's largest crude-processing facility operated by Saudi Arabia's Aramco has driven oil prices to their highest level in nearly four months.

The attack has knocked out over half of Saudi Arabia's production as it cut 5.7 million barrels per day or over 5 per cent of the world's supply.

India imports 83 per cent of its oil needs. Saudi Arabia is its second-biggest supplier after Iraq. It sold 40.33 million tonnes of crude oil to India in 2018-19 fiscal, the country had imported 207.3 million tonnes of oil.