Aramco says five of the deceased were Saudi nationals and employees of Aramco. The other 35 were employed by contractors and included one Saudi national, one South African, one Nepali, 18 Pakistanis, seven Bangladeshis, and seven Indians.

The state-run company says nine workers of various nationalities were injured, six of whom were treated and have already been released.

The fire, which occurred near the Hawiyah natural gas liquids plant on 18 November, is thought to have been an accident rather than an act of sabotage.

Aramco says the fire occurred on the Haradh-Uthmaniyah gas pipeline, 30km from the Hawiyah plant, where maintenance work was being conducted.

In July, four workers were killed and a further 12 injured after a fire at Aramco's Ras Tanura terminal on the Gulf coast.