Saudi Aramco said to shut Jeddah refinery indefinitely

Saudi Aramco has shut down its 90,000 barrel per day crude oil refinery in Jeddah indefinitely, Reuters reported on Sunday, citing sources familiar with the matter.

The state oil giant had been considering closing the facility for years due to age and environmental concerns.

The refinery, which started operations in 1967, used to produce liquefied petroleum gas, gasoline, diesel, asphalt and jet fuel, and export naphtha.

The shutdown, however, is not expected to create a shortage of oil products in the Kingdom as Aramco will meet demand from other refineries, sources said.

In 2014, the oil giant brought online two refineries in Yanbu and Jubail, adding a total refining capacity of 800,000 bpd.

Aramco is also expected to complete the first major unit of a new, 400,000 bpd refinery in Jizan by the end of 2017.