Vulcan Infrastructure Watch: Middle East Energy Assessment

Vulcan Infrastructure Watch (VIW) provides satellite-based monitoring of critical energy infrastructure across the Persian Gulf. We are currently tracking 15 strategic sites across five nations: Iran, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Kuwait, and Qatar. Our watchlist encompasses refineries, gas processing facilities, oil export terminals, LNG infrastructure, and crude oil processing plants.

Assessment Methodology

Current assessments span five cycles from March 16 through March 23, 2026. Sentinel-2 acquisitions are benchmarked against pre-conflict baselines (captured February 14–27). To ensure comprehensive coverage, we integrate VIIRS thermal data for real-time fire detection. Please note that acquisition dates vary by site based on satellite revisit frequency and cloud cover.

Summary of Findings

Of the 15 monitored sites, 12 show no observable change from pre-conflict benchmarks. Three sites exhibit notable activity as detailed below:

South Pars, Iran | Gas Processing (730 MMcm/d)

• Observations: Burn damage was detected south of the facility in March 21 imagery.
• Data: VIIRS thermal sensors recorded three high-confidence fire detections with a peak intensity of 45.4 MW.
• Context: While South Pars maintains significant flaring under normal operations, this specific thermal signature and subsequent burn scarring indicate an anomalous event.

Yanbu Industrial Complex, Saudi Arabia | Refinery (800,000 bbl/d)

• Observations: An active fire was observed in March 19 imagery, despite partial cloud obstruction.
• Update: March 21 imagery shows light residual smoke; however, structural damage appears minimal at this stage.

Ras Tanura Refinery, Saudi Arabia | Refinery (550,000 bbl/d)

• Observations: A localized area of damage is visible at the center of the facility, initially identified on March 7.
• Status: The site remains in a damaged state as of the most recent acquisition on March 22, with no visible signs of completed repairs.

Questions & Analysis For detailed imagery requests, specific site coordinates, or further commentary, please contact David Bellman at dbellman@synmax.com.