Saudi Arabia has concerns over security of oil reserves

It only takes Ali 15 minutes to drive to work at an oil facility in Saudi Arabia. But starting his job is not so easy -- he spends the next 20 minutes clearing multiple high-tech security checks before getting down to work. Such stringent efforts to protect its enormous oil reserves are not new in the kingdom, by far the world's biggest oil exporter and one of Washington's most important Arab allies. But they are more important than ever after US raids on Afghanistan raised concern that Islamic militants could strike back by targeting Saudi oil facilities.
"There is heightened awareness that oil facilities may be viewed as a symbolic target," said Raad Alkadiri of Washington-based Petroleum Finance Co (PFC). "But decades of preparation have been put in place to mitigate against that vulnerability."

An attack on Saudi petroleum facilities would send oil prices skyrocketing and spark fears of instability in the Gulf's economic and political giant, which has witnessed violence before over the years. "Terrorists have brought down buildings here, and fanatics have caused serious damage," a Saudi source said.
Two foreigners, including one American, were killed in Khobar, site of a bomb attack five years ago in which 19 US servicemen died. But so far, oil facilities have been beyond the reach of the terrorists." The oil sector is a prime target, but they have never been able to get to our facilities," the Saudi source said. But an act of sabotage cannot be entirely ruled out -- especially now -- despite the great lengths Riyadh has taken to protect its oil lifeblood. "The oil installations are ringed by barbed wire fences, but that can't stop a rocket," admitted Ali, whose asked that his name be changed for security purposes.
Nor will police roadblocks and government patrols toting submachine guns stop an extremist from carrying out an inside job, said Western and Gulf industry sources. "We are all vigilant, but we will not be paranoid," said a source in Riyadh." The highest amount of technology is protecting Saudi Arabia." "The standard of security at Saudi oil installations is the best in the world," said a Western industry source.

The kingdom, unlike Colombia, Nigeria and neighbouring Yemen, has managed to keep its oil facilities shielded from saboteurs who blow up pipelines. And serious disruption of the kingdom's vast oil network would be a monumental task, especially with security forces primed and at the ready.
"To have a long-term impact on Saudi Arabia's oil industry, any operation would have to be on a massive scale," said PFC's Alkadiri. "Given the heightened state of alert, that would be very difficult at the moment. There are easier targets to hit which would produce similar psychological effects."
Some analysts believe a strike on oil facilities in the kingdom would be self-defeating for Saudi-born dissident Osama bin Laden, lead suspect in the attacks on the United States named by the US Government. "I don't see Saudi oilfields as a prime target because that wouldharm the welfare of Bin Laden's own people," a Western security expert said." But that's not to say that expatriates working on them aren't at risk."

Bin Laden and his followers were enraged when US troops were stationed in the kingdom during the 1991 Gulf War. "The focus now is very much on US interests in the Gulf, even though the House of Saud has always been bin Laden's enemy No 1," a regional analyst said. Should the kingdom's oil interests come under siege, the Saudi and US armed forces would react rapidly, analysts said. Saudi Arabia ranks as the top oil supplier to the United States, with sales of about 1.7 mm bpd.