Saudi Arabia’s King Abdullah bin Abdulaziz has died after a long bout of illness, with the throne of the world’s top oil producer passing to the crown prince.

King Abdullah, who took power in 2005 after the death of his half-brother King Fahd, was reportedly aged between 89 and 91.

The king had reportedly been hospitalised since December suffering from pneumonia, and had not been seen in public in recent times. He will be laid to rest after the noon prayer on Friday in the city of Riyadh.

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US crude oil prices rose about 1.5 per cent immediately after the news broke.

Crown Prince Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, 79, has ascended to the throne, and is reported to be well-liked by Western powers.

Salman is credited with transforming the capital Riyadh during his half-century as governor.

Like Abdullah, Salman is seen as a moderate with a reputation for austerity, hard work and discipline, especially in his role overseeing the hundreds of young princes in the royal family.

There have been concerns for his health in recent years after operations on his back, but Salman took on an increasingly high-profile role as Abdullah’s own health issues forced him from the limelight.

Born on December 31, 1935, Salman is the 25th son of the desert kingdom’s founder Abdulaziz bin Saud, and a prominent member of a formidable bloc of brothers known as the Sudairi Seven, after their mother Hassa bin Ahmed al-Sudairi.

He is the sixth son of Abdulaziz to become king of the arid, oil-rich country.

Salman was appointed governor of Riyadh province at the age of 20, in line with a tradition of putting royal family members in charge of key provinces.

He is considered the architect of the development of Riyadh from a desert backwater to a modern metropolis, balancing the historical power of the Red Sea city of Jeddah.

The governorship “allowed him to serve as a generally very well-respected arbiter of al-Saud family affairs, as well as overseeing the city’s emergence”, said Eleanor Gillespie of the London-based Gulf States Newsletter.

“Salman has a reputation for probity and for being ‘clean’ when it comes to money,” she said.

Salman only took on his first ministerial post – as defence minister – in 2011 following the death of his brother Prince Sultan.

He was officially named crown prince following the death of the previous heir apparent, Nayef, in June 2012 and undertook a series of overseas trips.

He has since developed solid ties with foreign partners and “is probably Western policymakers’ favourite choice when it comes to future kings”, Gillespie said.

“He is a man of dialogue who always preferred to solve problems amicably,” said Anwar Eshki, the director of the Jeddah-based Middle East Institute for Strategic Studies.

“He prefers moderation” in internal and foreign policy and “follows in the steps of Abdullah”, who was a keen reformer, he said.

Salman is reputed to be ill and there had been speculation he might not claim the throne at all, according to a source close to the circle of power.

But one diplomat said: “Despite his age he is active on all fronts, especially since the king slightly stepped back.”

Married three times, Prince Salman has 10 sons, two of whom have died, and a daughter.