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Updated · 26 Oct 2026, 15:00 Riyadh
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MisleadingEconomy & energy

Shaybah oil field was not knocked out of service, Energy Ministry says

Screenshot of a post that spread the claim on X. Account names and pictures are blurred.

✕ The claim

A Houthi drone took Aramco's Shaybah oil field out of service. Shaybah is Saudi Arabia's largest oil field.

✓ The facts

The Saudi Energy Ministry said the drone was intercepted and its debris set fire to a contractor's vehicle outside the facility; operations were not affected. Two residents, a Filipino and a Nepali, were killed. Saudi Arabia's largest oil field is Ghawar, not Shaybah.

What we don't know yet

The ministry's statement is the main source on the state of operations. We found no independent report contradicting it, and we will update this check if one appears.

Spreading in

  1. English183
  2. Arabic158
  3. Persian6
  4. Hindiseen, not counted

X post counts using 'out of service / largest field' wording, 21 Oct, 12:00–20:05 UTC; includes reposts

Sources

  1. Saudi Ministry of Energy statement, via Saudi Gazette on X (21 Oct 2026)
  2. Saudi Ministry of Energy statement, via Arab News on X (21 Oct 2026)
  3. US Energy Information Administration, Saudi Arabia country analysis (Ghawar)

𝕏 Our post on X

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