Collaboration and Innovation Take Center Stage at Leading Industry Conference See Page 3

March 31, 2021 Vol. LXXVI, No. 13 a weekly Aramco publication for employees

Clean fuels project puts Kingdom Offshore Projects develop new shutdown Ithra’s new virtual COVID-19 Exhibit environment first system in this The Ras Tanura Refinery adds another The Offshore Projects Department has The King Abdulaziz Center for World Culture issue successful milestone, completing the Ultra- developed a new oil platform emergency (Ithra) marks the one-year anniversary of Low Sulfur Diesel system. shutdown system to reduce production the COVID-19 lockdown with the launch of a stoppage time. virtual showcase titled “COVID-19 Exhibit.” see page 10 see page 5 see page 2

Collaboration and innovation take center stage at leading industry conference see page 3

At the IPTC conference, Aramco senior leadership spoke on the industry's need to reduce the carbon footprint of oil and gas, as well as talking on innovation and technology. At left, Aramco’s capture and reinjection project, which the company commenced in 2015 to annually inject carbon dioxide into the world’s largest oil field, Ghawar. Center, the company's LAB 7 will be a hub of innovation for world-class ideas. At right, earlier this year, Aramco inaugurated Dammam-7, a new Upstream supercomputer with a capability of 55.4 petaflops and is considered among the top 10 supercomputers in the world.

Download aramco LIFE today to stay informed, and more. March 31, 2021 the arabian sun 2 company news

Ithra’s COVID-19 Exhibit connects the world through shared experiences The King Abdulaziz Center for Arab Emirates, and Bahrain, with addi- World Culture (Ithra) is mark- Hundreds of submissions tional submissions from Australia, Ma- ing the one-year anniversary of The exhibition is the result of an laysia, Germany, Egypt, Kuwait, Oman, the COVID-19 lockdown with the open call to art enthusiasts around the Jordan, India, Sudan, Bangladesh, the launch of a virtual showcase titled world. It received hundreds of submis- Philippines, Pakistan, the U.K., and the “COVID-19 Exhibit.” A display of me- sions, from which a collection of 270 U.S. mentos tied to an unexpected cul- pieces has been curated. The COVID-19 tural and social reset that resonated Exhibit highlights our shared feelings across borders, cultures, and lan- and experiences during lockdown — Personal stories guages, the exhibition is a collection an ordeal that transcends language, Through telling personal COVID-19 of thoughts, memories and reflec- cultures, and borders. stories, the COVID-19 Exhibit pro- tions on the pandemic experience by vides a universal snapshot of how hu- people from across the globe. The collection finds common ground manity has dealt with and continues in the diverse sentimental and sig- to grapple with what has become our “A year into the global health cri- nificant objects that helped people new reality, amid a unique moment sis, the COVID-19 Exhibit is an op- worldwide cope in a time of change. of global solidarity. The exhibition portunity for the global community Recurring themes emphasize our uni- puts the effects of the coronavirus on to reflect on this complicated and ty through the similarity of our expe- ourselves and our relationships with difficult time and tell our pandemic riences, and range from lockdowns, objects into perspective, while also stories,” said Ithra curator and head social distancing, masks, and working connecting cultures and creating di- of Ithra museum, Farah S. Abushul- from home to supporting medical he- alogue through international partic- laih. roes and front-line workers. The ob- ipation. jects include everyday items as well as “Art is about connecting people instruments, photos, notes, and art- The COVID-19 Exhibit will run for through culture, but we connect may- work — both old and new. two years beginning March 28, 2021. be even more easily through common To view it and for more information on objects.” Ithra received exhibits from the Ithra and its programs, visit www.ithra. Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, the United com.

Your voice A radical rethinking of the idea of home Inspired by the recent announcement tic facilities, to maximize efficient use of material possessions without impacting of the futuristic, zero carbon, smart city landscape by minimizing underutilized the quality of life. called “The Line” at NEOM by His Roy- office and residential building space. al Highness Crown Prince Mohammed Most importantly, housing-as-a-service bin Salman, I, like many others, was as- would allow for sharing without compro- tonished by the revolutionary concept Sharing the cost of living mising convenience, increasing bonding of urban space. As NEOM is the land of In other words, instead of renting a and interaction within a community that dreamers, I’ve been dreaming about a whole flat with many rooms and facili- is built around nature and not roads. It new way of living, where the relationship ties, tenants would select the minimum would also make it financially affordable. between humans and urban spaces is be- required services (e.g., bedroom, bath- In addition, this would help in reducing ing redefined. room, etc.) and share other facilities and landscapes needed, allowing for making appliances (e.g., office space, gym, cine- all required facilities, including work- Coming from a software development ma, storage, laundry, games rooms, etc.), spaces, to be within a 5-minute walking background and a cloud computing world that are mostly underutilized, and pay on distance. This increases the walkability in that focuses on reusability and maximiz- a per-use basis. Duality of ownership and the city, and thereby improve the health Eyad Buhlaiqah ing the use of resources by providing usage helps in reducing the total cost of of all society. This, of course, is magnified Dhahran multitenant infrastructure-as-a-service, it ownership by moving houses from be- with the vision of having the city with [email protected] is envisaged that work-life balance will ing a commodity to services, allowing zero cars and full reliance on renewable be improved significantly by adopting a for shared costs of acquisition, operation, energy. housing-as-a-service concept. and maintenance. Our kids are having a better future, The concept of co-living and co-work- It would improve community safety and thanks to the visionaries of our country, Your Voice reflects the thoughts and opinions of the writer, and not necessarily those of the pub- ing could be established by helping in- security, reduce the need of external hu- and to HRH, for making dreams become lication. habitants, who share work and domes- man resources and helpers, and decrease reality! the arabian sun March 31, 2021 company news 3 Collaboration and innovation take center

Upstreamstage Business at Line leading Head, Nasir K. Al-Naimi, industry expresses the company’s conference commitment to continually transforming to keep pace with the digital age at the 2021 International Petroleum Technology Conference By Eamonn Houston “Technology is an integral component of our drive to develop breakthrough Nasir K. Al-Naimi spoke at the 13th solutions that yield economic benefits to edition of the International Petroleum support a sustainable energy supply. We Technology Conference (IPTC), a flagship have created a portfolio of technological energy industry technology conference solutions that enable us to meet our cus- taking place virtually in Kuala Lumpur, tomers’ needs more efficiently.” Malaysia. Earlier this year, Aramco inaugurated During the IPTC Executive Insight in- Dammam-7, a new Upstream supercom- terview, Al-Naimi spoke about trends in puter with a capability of 55.4 petaflops the future energy mix, articulating the and is considered among the top 10 su- fact that existing energy in the form of percomputers in the world. oil and gas will continue to play a pivotal role alongside “new energy” sources for “Our growing computing resources the foreseeable future. and a tremendous wealth of data enable an artificial intelligence ecosystem that is “Looking at renewables,” Al-Naimi game changing in scope,” Al-Naimi said. said, “solar and wind together account for only 10% of global electricity gener- global COVID-19 pandemic and the im- “A breathtaking glimpse of the future ation. And, if we look at the world’s total portance of addressing climate concerns. Watch can be seen at Khurais, where we have primary energy consumption, they are He also discussed the central role that Upstream deployed some 40,000 sensors covering just a little over 2% of it. technologies and employees play in fos- over 500 oil wells, becoming one of the tering a culture of innovation and collab- Business Line world’s largest intelligent oil fields.” “The existing and new energy will con- oration. Head take part tinue to run in parallel for a long time to in the IPTC come.” 2021. Our people Groundbreaking technologies Al-Naimi emphasized that the con- Al-Naimi addressed current industry Al-Naimi added that the industry must tinued development of the company’s challenges, such as the impact of the continue to focus on reducing the carbon Aramco’s carbon intensity during pro- workforce, and the diversity of its talent footprint of oil and gas and that ground- duction is among the lowest in the world, would be essential to achieving even breaking technologies, innovation and he noted, alongside methane intensity — greater success in the future. collaboration between oil and gas compa- one of the lowest in the industry. Aramco to host IPTC nies and the new energy sector would en- “There is no question that our people sure global energy security and reliability. The company has also developed stra- are our greatest asset. So, we work very 2022 in Dhahran tegic partnerships across various indus- hard to leverage our training programs According to Al-Naimi, Aramco’s envi- tries to develop groundbreaking technol- within a collaborative environment to ronment, social, and governance efforts ogies. Aramco is currently working with provide opportunities for our young pro- began around half a century ago, and automakers to develop advanced clean fessionals to turn the company’s vision pointed to the building of the Master Gas fuel engines. for the future into reality,” he said. System in Saudi Arabia as an example. Aramco has actively focused on lower- “Aramco is working on numerous ing carbon dioxide emissions through the fronts to position us securely for the fu- IPTC 2021: Day 6 Summary (3/30/21) deployment of carbon capture, utiliza- ture.” Field Number tion and storage technologies. The com- Aramco Booth Views and Visits 4,200+ pany has also identified hydrogen to be Content Downloads 230+ transported as blue ammonia as an area Booth Video Views 300+ of huge potential growth. Watch

Inquiries Received 15+ "We reliably Business Cards Dropped 100 Technology focus supply the Aramco will host the 2022 Booth Seminar Visits 65 “The importance of cutting-edge tech- world with flagship conference in Dhahran. Surveys Completed* 60 nology cannot be overstated,” Al-Naimi energy." Accepting the transfer of the *Over 95% of visitors are satisfied with the Aramco booth stressed. IPTC official flag, marking the next venue for the conference, AbdulHameed A. Al Rushaid, vice president of Petroleum Engineer- Al Ashgar flags Aramco’s forward thinking strategy ing and Development, said, “It is During a panel discussion titled “Managing Transfor- truly remarkable to see how the mation to Shape the Future of Energy,” Samer S. Al industry is coming together, Ashgar, general manager of Characterization and Field despite the global conditions Development Geosciences, gave an overview of Aram- caused by COVID-19. These past co’s drive in technological advancements. nine days of the conference are a testament to the ability to create He shared the platform with Firouz Asnan, senior vice opportunities for the industry as it president of Malaysian Petroleum Management for continues to transform and shape Petronas; Montri Rawanchaikul, president of PTT Explo- the future. ration and Production; Maria Sferruzza, senior vice “IPTC 2022 will venture into the president of Baker Hughes Asia-Pacific; and Przemek energy sector’s resilience, technol- Lupa, head of Asia-Pacific Development for Masdar. ogy co-advancement, sustainability, and the ecosystem evolution “The new energy mix will evolve and grow, with beyond these difficult and chal- hydrocarbons remaining a large part of that energy mix production capability. lenging times. for many years ahead," Al Ashgar told the panel. “We hope by then, the world “We move forward to increase productivity and perfor- will have emerged from the “While the future of energy is evolving, a constant is mance and will be maximizing the benefits of digitaliza- global pandemic,” Al Rushaid the fundamental investments in technology and innovation and artificial intelligence. As we drive toward said. tion and investments in partnerships as well. We will solutions, we will move in line with our responsibility to also continue to make long-term investments in our minimize emissions as well.” March 31, 2021 the arabian sun 4 company news Meeting IKTVA and Mowaamah requirements Company’s largest bachelor camp ready for new residents The company’s largest ever remote demonstrates our enduring commitment bachelor camp is operating successfully to develop inclusive communities, which near Jubail. are vibrant, accessible, and environmentally sustainable, with a central focus on The 760,000-m2 Fadhili Bachelor Camp improved quality-of-life and employee (FBC) accommodates more than 2,500 well-being.” employees working in the Northern Area Oil and Gas Operations at Fadhili, Wasit, Mohammad A. Sultan, general manag- and Khursaniyah. er of CS, said the project was “an excel- lent example of a value driven initiative The FBC was designed and construct- leveraging private sector involvement in ed to meet Mowaamah requirements alignment with our corporate and strate- for accessibility. Mowaamah, run by the gic Vision 2030 objective.” Ministry of Human Resources and Social Development, is an accreditation award- ed to companies that provide suitable IKTVA and Saudization work surroundings for people with dis- The project is the first to utilize a abilities. third-party Build Own Operate Transfer (BOOT) procurement concept through The camp includes 2,548 single-occu- the Fadhili Field Housing Company, a pancy residential units, with 1,904 units joint venture between MASIC, a private for GC 3-10; 588 for GC 11-14, and 56 for real estate and investment company GC 15+. The units are laid out over 13 munity center and a large reception hall. and Aramco in a first-ever partnership buildings of two and three floors, with The community center includes dining On-time completion with a private sector real estate devel- room sizes of 27 m2, 34 m2, and 65 m2. facilities to accommodate 500 people, a Construction started in January 2018 oper. The NESMA Group was chosen commissary, barbershop, mailroom, and and finished on Dec. 31, 2020, with the for engineering, procurement and con- a multipurpose hall, in addition to office more than 2,800 workers surpassing 14 struction work, and will manage the Comfortable facilities space to accommodate camp administra- million safe man-hours to complete the facility. Recreational facilities include a ful- tion personnel. project on time despite the COVID-19 ly equipped gymnasium, games room, pandemic. The project reached a 40% In-Kingdom indoor basketball court, library, and a The external landscaped areas were Total Value Add (IKTVA) localization tar- 50-person movie theater. The external fa- designed with a focus on sustainability, The project was executed under the get designed to drive domestic value cre- cilities include a full-size all-weather soc- reduced water consumption, and envi- Community Services Projects Department ation, and Saudization started at 16%, cer field, a 2.5-kilometer jogging track, ronmental diversity. and is administered by the Northern Area with a targeted rise to 45% of Saudi citi- two tennis courts, a volleyball court, and Community Services Department for the zens employed at the camp by 2025. a 25-m eight lane swimming pool. The camp is supported by a 24-hour post-construction contract duration. fire station and a 24-hour medical clinic Residents were accommodated over A grand mosque is located at the heart administered by Johns Hopkins Aramco Faisal A. Hajji, executive director of a four-week period from Jan. 1 without of the facility, and is flanked by a com- Healthcare. Community Services (CS), said, “The FBC disrupting oil and gas operations. Company increases asphalt production with new technology The Ras Tanura Refinery (RTR) has suc- spirit from the Project Management cessfully completed its asphalt produc- Team (PMT), contractor and refinery op- tion facility expansion, increasing the to- erations, we managed to overcome site tal production capacity to the equivalent challenges.” of 42,000 barrels per day.

The project, which recorded 8.1 Technologies million safe man-hours without lost The Biturox® process produces better time injuries during construction and quality asphalt from refinery feedstock pre-commissioning phases, used three components, enabling the refinery to new technologies: an eco-friendly bitu- produce bitumen from a wider range men plant process, innovative concrete of crudes. It is a more efficient, reliable, piling, and a groundbreaking de-water- economical, safe, and eco-friendly tech- ing system. nology over the traditional asphalt process. Refining and NGL Projects Department manager, Megbel A. Al Shammari, said, The PMT was able to reduce the con- “The project added value to the RT Re- crete pilling execution time to improve finery through Biturox® technology, the soil, using new soil improvement which is more efficient and reliable over technology called “Controlled Modulus the traditional asphalt production.” Columns” (CMC) on the Consulting Ser- vice Department’s (CSD) endorsement. “We are always keen to execute our The Biturox® process produces better quality asphalt from refinery feedstock components, enabling projects in accordance to the latest engi- CMC is a substitute for the traditional the refinery to produce bitumen from a wider range of crudes. neering and technology solutions.” bored piling foundation, resulting in a five-month schedule reduction and cost high and a majority of projects at the site timized execution strategies to mitigate savings of 40%. CSD has recommended are experiencing issues associated with risks and construction challenges. Challenges this technology for soil improvements in de-watering activities during the con- Salah A. Al Abdulhadi, the senior proj- future projects. struction phase. ect engineer, said, “The project execu- Achievement tion was extremely challenging due to The contractor installed four wells at The achievement of managing the brownfield, unforeseen underground Optimization depths of between 10 to 18 meters at brownfield construction challenges and utilities, and contaminated groundwater The PMT managed to optimize a each corner of the project and employed implementing unique technologies to during excavations. de-watering system to avoid under- submersible pumps to discharge water efficiently increase refinery asphalt pro- ground water contamination that sig- away from the bottom of the wells. This duction were made possible with the “The new plant is located in a very nificantly reduced the duration of early reduced contaminated water to an ac- dedication and hard work of the PMT in hazardous location, a congested area, project civil works. ceptable level. collaboration with stakeholders. which has limited access, and required the demolition of an existing moth- RTR is located near the shore of the The PMT applied clever project man- The project scope facilities have now balled plant. However, with the team Arabian Gulf where the water table is agement skills, innovative ideas, and op- been handed over to RTR Operations. the arabian sun March 31, 2021 company news 5 Building and maintaining an effective risk culture Few would argue against the impor- tively will improve. Risk conversations tance of culture to the success of an across the organization should include organization’s enterprise risk manage- collaborations with others, as the best ment process. solutions may well be outside of your span of control. Identifying factors that make a strong risk culture and how it can be aligned Multidisciplinary team engagements, with risk initiatives can be challenging. as well as the sharing of data, business goals, and challenges will actively con- As culture is an attitude or belief that tribute to greater sharing of informa- is shared by people with a common pur- tion and breaking down “silo” mental- pose, the building of our risk culture is ities. dependent on all of us having a common appreciation of risk management and a belief in its value. Sharing information We need to be disciplined and clear An effective risk culture allows risk in our thinking when making important management to be part of the fabric of business decisions. Good decision mak- an organization, rather than a compli- ing requires that we have a full appreci- ance-based deliverable. After all, man- ation for the risks involved, the potential aging risks should be a primary goal of consequences as well as treatment plans all employees throughout the company. to reduce any possible loss.

Risk is the management of uncertainty People conversations and uncertainty is reduced through in- So how do we build and maintain an formation. Make sure that all your deci- effective Risk Culture? sions are well informed.

We can start by encouraging people Remember, if you are not managing conversations about risk management your risks continuously, you are not across the organization.Saudi Aramco: Company Only General by openly Use managing your business. sharing what we believe our risks are, will we afford the greater organization versation about risk is an opportunity to Through greater people conversations, an opportunity to become part of the improve our collective response. Encouraging collaboration empowerment, collaboration and deci- solution. Taking risks is an integral part of busi- sion making, we look to build an effec- We all know that to achieve success re- ness and empowering staff to take cal- tive Aramco risk culture underpinned by Make risk management an integral quires taking some level of risk. Through culated risks should always be part of these critical behaviors. topic at your communication meetings, empowerment, we encourage staff to our culture. encourage discussion around the na- take risks in support of our common ob- Visit the Enterprise Risk Management ture of risk in your business. Not only jective, but only when such risk is appro- Through collaboration, our capacity (ERM) ShareK page for further points of impacts, but also mitigation. Every con- priately controlled and monitored. to collectively manage risk more effec- reference @ ERM.

Reduces production stoppage time by up to 90% Offshore Projects a wellhead of innovation with new shutdown system The Offshore Projects Department “OPD has successfully and reliably (OPD) has developed a new oil platform accomplished replacing obsolete ESD emergency shutdown (ESD) system that systems for several platforms while reduces production stoppage time by up maintaining production, utilizing this to 90%. temporary ESD system designed and developed in-house,” Al Dulaijan said. The portable system provides a temporary wellhead safety control panel for “This solution, which maintains pro- offshore platforms during construction duction during construction, is appreci- of a permanent panel. The temporary ated by all involved organizations,” he panel controls the subsurface and sur- added. face safety valves of up to 12 individual wellheads simultaneously. “OPD is now looking to implement this solution on bigger scale projects OPD successfully deployed the inno- and platforms, such as tie-in platforms vative system during the recent upgrade and gas-oil separation plants, to mini- of 25 offshore platforms in the Zuluf oil mize shutdowns in cases where perma- field, approximately 40 kilometers off nent ESD system modifications or re- the Kingdom’s northeast coast. placements are required.”

The system enabled continued pro- The area remains committed in de- duction from the platforms in parallel ploying best-in-class technologies and with the construction activities, resulting innovative solutions in projects execu- in a reduction of the conventional 30- tion with a focus on safe operations, day shutdown duration per platform to schedule improvements, and cost opti- just 3 days, leading to significant savings mization without operational interrup- in production lossess. tion.

Abdulaziz F. Al Dulaijan, manager of the Offshore Projects Department, said The successful deployment of a portable the solution has been recognized for its emergency shutdown system in the Zuluf oil innovative, operational convenience. field. March 31, 2021 the arabian sun the arabian sun March 31, 2021 6 community community 7 Jubah: an open-air museum whereBy Chiara Ciampricotti Iacoangeli millennia are carved in rock

January 1879, Lady Anne chasing Arabian horses, while Wil- Blunt, the granddaughter frid was searching for examples of In of English poet Lord ancient inscriptions carved on stone Byron, arrived with her husband outcrops. Wilfrid at the Jubah oasis, more than two-thirds of the way across the Great They were among the very first Nafud Desert. Westerners to view the now famous rock art at Jubah. Lady Anne captured En route to the city of Hayil, they the setting and its rich array of ancient stopped at a way station for a rest. art in her comment, “Jubah is one of Lady Anne was interested in pur- the most curious places in the world, and to my mind one of the most beautiful.”

We can only agree with Lady Blunt. This open-air museum is a place where millennia are carved in rock. Our eyes are captivated at every step by new images, new writings, and new symbols. This immense repre- ping of eras and civilizations, which ray of rock art and inscriptions span- site in the whole of the Middle East. It sentational wealth of art takes us have left their marks. ning millennia (with some carvings rivals anything in North Africa.” back to a distant time in an overlap- dating back 10,000 years) has been fenced off as an archaeological site by In this remote, solitary, silent area, A number one site the Department of Antiquities. dominated by a red desert in which Today, Jubah is a small, quiet oa- rocky outcrops rise, the visitor is struck sis town, located 90 km north of the Unlike other Neolithic paintings and by the charm of the large number of city of Hayil, and is the most famous etchings in other parts of the world, petroglyphs created by a range of rock art site in Saudi Arabia. The oasis Jubah’s rock art features deep incisions techniques with simple stone ham- of Jubah is the remnant of an ancient that display images in sharp relief and mers. They are visually stunning ex- lake, which was once rich in flora, are in remarkably pristine condition. pressions of human creative genius. wildlife, and people. The sand sea of Images depict men and women, giv- fied: Recent, Thamudic, and Late Pre- the Nafud Desert is a windswept plain ing viewers a glimpse into the cloth- historic. surrounding Jubah. At the foot of the ing and hairstyle of the past. The art A king dispensing justice mountains, Jabal Umm Sinman, an ar- also features animals, hunting scenes Jubah is host to two of the most em- The Recent petroglyphs are made and weaponry, such as bows, arrows, blematic carvings in Saudi Arabia. The of opaque engravings of Arabic sticks, and spears. man in a hieratic pose wearing noble scripts that were often carved with clothes and accessories in a dominant a metal object. The script often de- Aspects of the scenes show similar- position over his subordinate allows tails a person’s name with a date in ities with rock art in North Africa, in- himself to be interpreted as an an- the 1400s of the Hijri calendar, and cluding Algeria, Libya, and Egypt. Ar- cient king handing out justice. The the words were inscribed in the last chaeologist Juris Zarins, who worked second one is a chariot pulled by two 30 years. Some of the Arabic inscrip- in the Jubah area for 20 years is quot- horses. tions are not dated and were pecked ed in Saudi Aramco World (Harrington out using another stone, suggesting 2002) as saying, “Pound for pound Jubah’s rock art does not belong to greater antiquity. Representations and piece for piece, in terms of rock a single era or a single civilization. of mounted camels or battle scenes art concentration and importance, Ju- Based on archaeological studies, with people using lances to fight on bah is the number one or number two three different eras have been identi- horses can also be seen.

Ostriches, dogs, and ibex Thamudic rock art is composed of contact with merchant traders. implements, while another has a bow mainly of pecked out engravings and arrow. and is dominated by inscriptions During the Late Prehistoric era, the and representations of camels. The style of the petroglyphs were limited inscriptions are written vertical- by the skills of the engravers and dif- A UNESCO World Heritage site ly, although a few longer ones are ficult rock surfaces, making it difficult In the largest rock shelter, which written horizontally. The majority of to identify the species of animals de- has a small cave at the back, there is engraved camels are associated with picted. a fourth type of rock art painted in inscriptions specifying the owner of red ochre. It is composed of three bo- the animal. Other images are depic- Most animals identified are ibex vids, one possibly an aurochs — ex- tions of ostriches, dogs, ibex, and with huge sweptback horns, beards, tinct large cattle. The ochre is in two date palms. The palms may suggest and striped coats. Numerous cattle different shades: a brownish red with cultivation. are depicted with their heads tilted which the animals are painted, and a to one side, so that both their horns purplish red with which squares and Based on some archaeological and ears are visible. Wild asses are dots are painted. studies, it has been suggested that represented with what look like two the Thamudic society was transhu- short, forward-facing ears. The Late The archaeological site of Jubah has Jubah’s rock art features deep incisions that display images in sharp relief and mance, a regular movement of ani- Prehistoric human figures found tend been recognized as a UNESCO World are in remarkably pristine condition. Images depict men and women, giving mals between areas of pasture. The to be tall and elongated. They are Heritage site. Its importance lies in its viewers a glimpse into the clothing and hairstyle of the past. The art also association of the images with in- male and appear to be wearing grass testimony of a society long vanished, features animals, hunting scenes and weaponry, such as bows, arrows, sticks, scriptions suggests that such people skirts and some kind of headdress. leaving behind an exceptionally de- and spears. (Photos by Chiara Ciampricotti Iacoangeli) were literate, most probably because Two appear to be wielding hooked tailed record of their existence. March 31, 2021 the arabian sun 8 company news

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Story behind Iconic Pictures Signing of the Concession Agreement, May 29, 1933 By Stuart Burt

With the sun pouring through the window in Khuzam Palace, Finance Minister ‘Abd Allah Al-Sulayman and Standard Oil Company of California (So- cal) attorney Lloyd N. Hamilton finalize the negotiations that had dragged on for more than three months.

The lead negotiators for the King- dom of Saudi Arabia and Socal signed the concession agreement in Jiddah on May 29, 1933. New research reveals the surprising truth about how the agreement, which led to the creation of the greatest oil company the world has seen, actually came about.

Hired helper takes control Although, the signing nearly didn’t happen. The negotiations were on the point of breaking down on three sep- arate occasions, the most critical of which was at the end of March. But it wasn’t either Al-Sulayman or Hamilton who saved the day, it was a man who, somewhat surprisingly, worked for both sides and who is largely forgot- ten today. Harry St John Bridger Philby was actually famous at the time as an Arabian explorer, and was undoubted- ly a brilliant Arabist (a term describing With the sun pouring through the window in a westerner expert in both the Arabic Khuzam Palace, Finance Minister ‘Abd Allah Al-Sulayman and Standard Oil Company of language and Arab culture). Crucially, California attorney Lloyd N. Hamilton finalize he had been a long-time friend of King the negotiations that had dragged on for more Abdulaziz. than three months.

Though Socal had asked Philby to gain an introduction with the King in December 1932, they didn’t sign him as Benefitting both sides a consultant (on very lucrative terms, as But the curious detail in this ar- far as Philby was concerned) until Ham- rangement is that Socal didn’t realize, ilton arrived in Jiddah in the middle of until later, that Philby was in close, February 1933. Maybe they did so to private consultations with Al-Su- stop him signing with the only other layman (and occasionally the King competitor for the concession, the Brit- himself) the whole time. Philby had ish controlled Iraq Petroleum Compa- resigned from Britain’s Indian Civil ny (IPC). But, whatever the reason, it Service because he disagreed with proved an inspirational decision. what he perceived as the overt im- perialism of the major power in the Middle East.

As Philby later recorded, he gave a verbal assurance to both Al-Su- layman and the King that he would “give priority to the interests of the government.” The concession agreement was signed initially by Finance Minister ‘Abd Allah Al-Sulayman and Socal attorney Lloyd N. Hamilton on May But this close, personal relationship Philby calms the storm 29, 1933. During the following months, the between the Saudi government and Philby was the one to calm the trou- document acquired several other signatures, Philby, which might at first sight ap- bled waters. He had lunch with the including that of Foreign Minister and future pear to be disadvantageous to Socal, King on April 1 and explained that King, Faysal, acting on behalf of his father. Faysal’s signature was initially authenticated by actually worked to the advantage of Al-Sulayman had caused real concern the Dutch vice consul in Jiddah and later by the both parties. with his inflexibility. The King respond- American minister to the Netherlands in The ed: “Don’t be concerned about that!” Hague. The crisis came with the govern- Reassured, Philby then spoke to Yusuf ment’s response to Socal’s opening Yasin, the King’s chief secretary, and as- offer. Al-Sulayman tabled his count- certained that the King was convinced er-offer on March 31 and insisted on of Socal’s serious intent to develop — his main demand of 100,000 gold and not merely hoard — any oil they come, not the least being when Ameri- pounds, which Socal thought excessive, found, which was one of the main con- ca came off the gold standard on April when no one knew anything for cer- cerns about the IPC proposal. 20. Subsequently, the government and tain about the geology of the al-Hasa Socal knew where each other stood af- region — as the Eastern Province was Yasin gave a strong hint that the gov- ter the crisis, and IPC never again had then called. ernment would be willing to accept a serious chance once Hamilton and 50,000 gold pounds. Philby immedi- Al-Sulayman resumed negotiations on Hamilton, who had somewhat un- ately notified Hamilton’s assistant, and April 11. wisely had gone to Cairo to consult when Hamilton received this news in Harry St John Bridger Philby in 1932, the year with his managing director, respond- Cairo on April 4, not only were his fears The stage was set for Socal and Saudi before he played a vital role in the negotiations ed in a cable: “We regret necessity of allayed, he left for Jiddah the same day. Arabia to form one of the most remark- for an oil concession agreement between King th Abdulaziz and Standard Oil of California withdrawing our offer … there is no able commercial ventures of the 20 (SOCAL). use of my return.” There were still difficulties to over- century. March 31, 2021 the arabian sun 10 company news Clean fuels project put Kingdom’s environment first By Eamonn Houston stakeholder’s engagement, collaboration, and a commitment to safety, The Ras Tanura Refinery (RTR) has setting a world-class standard for recorded a major milestone in environ- executing mega-projects in brown mental stewardship with the completion fields. of an Ultra-Low Sulfur Diesel (ULSD) system, which will see cleaner, environ- The Clean Fuels Project is a part of Ar- mentally friendly fuel distributed across amco’s corporate objective to intensify the Kingdom. the focus on safety and the protection of the environment. The Aramco Project Management Team (PMT) handed over the new system to Ras Tanura Terminal (RTT) opera- Multiple projects tions as part of the landmark Clean Fuel A program consisting of multiple Project’s scope of work. projects in Saudi Arabia was executed to comply with the future transporta- The development is expected to allow tion fuels specifications in the King- the commissioning and introduction of dom. a new type of diesel with less environmental impact in the Kingdom’s net- This objective will be met upon com- work by the end of this year, meeting pleting the RTR Clean Fuels Project, government regulations, and helping to which will support the company’s cor- reduce emissions in urban centers. porate objective to conduct activities in an environmentally responsible manner Executed at multiple locations across by upgrading the existing diesel and the RTR and RTT, the project was inau- gasoline products at both the RTR and gurated by Aramco president and CEO, manager, Megbel A. Al Shammari, ex- been made possible through effective RTT. Amin Nasser, in January and is now pro- plained that the project would make a collaboration with multiple stake- ducing ULSD. contribution to Aramco’s commitment to holders within Aramco’s organiza- environmental stewardship. tions. Reducing emissions The work has included the construc- This budget item will help reduce tion and pre-commissioning process and “With the mechanical completion of Project manager Basim L. Al-Shahra- ground level emissions in the Kingdom’s the installation of ULSD pumps, and the the ULSD system within the RT Clean ni spoke of the pride of the team in- major urban centers as well as increase modification of existing tanks and their Fuels Project, we fulfilled our commit- volved. overall RTR gasoline production by interconnecting jump-over lines. ment to hand over the required systems 60,000 barrels per day. to operate and supply transportation fu- “Team work and alignment with all A network of 30-inch transfer lines els to domestic as well as international stakeholders resulted in us meeting our During the project planning stage, the from the RTT and the Dhahran Bulk markets in the most reliable and cost-ef- commitment to complete this important project team implemented continuous Plant have been completed and are cur- fective manner, taking into account en- part of the Clean Fuels Project objec- value improvement exercises, an in- rently under commissioning. vironmental regulations and specifica- tives,” he said. depth safety assessment, a project risk tions,” Al Shammari said. assessment and its timely mitigation to The project team is also proud optimize the ULSD system design, and Significant environmental of achieving 50 million safe man- an upgrade of the existing infrastruc- contribution Collaboration hours with zero lost time injuries. ture and systems in accordance with the Refining and NGL Projects Department He added that the milestone had The achievement was a result of objectives. Company students view and participate in green dream By Dalia Darweesh have an overarching theme aligned, as we want to adapt similar tours in our A group of enthusiastic future em- other communities, including Ras Tan- ployees enjoyed a new environmental ura, al Hasa, and Abqaiq’s Heaven and awareness program, including a guided Nature Reserve.” tour of the nursery and a tree planting activity. The students arrived to the plantation area next — one of the many locations The female College Preparatory Cen- of the 1 million trees initiative. Each stu- ter (CPC) students and male Industrial dent contributed by planting a tree. Training Center (ITC) trainees attended the program, which is a collaboration between Training and Development Excited students (T&D) and the Central Community Ser- Nujood Al Shraidah, a CPC student, vices Department (CCSD). said, “I’m happy to be making an environmental impact such as this one today. The goal of the program is to educate We, as the youth, should always engage future generations about CCSD’s efforts in similar activities in the community. I toward creating a green environment by feel accomplished.” introducing people to the nurseries and mangroves, and raises awareness of the Sada, another female CPC student, Kingdomwide initiative to plant 1 mil- said that it felt great to be able to give lion trees. herbs. The nursery promotes innovative vices, said, “This is a great program for back to the community, and was proud ideas and new farming techniques, in- both CPC females and ITC male students to contribute to a company that she will Suhad K. Alfaddagh, from CCSD’s Re- cluding no soil hydroponic and vertical in collaboration with T&D, as it rais- work for in the future. cycling Group, said, “The main objective farming. es awareness on the environment. We of the admin area is to promote well-be- want this to be a recurring segment in Hazzam Al Otaibi, an ITC student, ex- ing, including having a green commu- The nursery has a green community their programs.” pressed how he felt after he planted a nity. This is a great opportunity for CPC wall, a fountain, a Knowledge Plaza, tree. “I’m glad I am able to be a part of and ITC students to learn more about planter boxes, and various greenhouses. such an initiative for the Kingdom, espe- farming, as well as recycling concepts.” It also has a Pattis France Café for com- 1 million trees cially to prevent desertification.” munity members to take a break and The collaboration coincides with the enjoy the refreshing scenery of plants Kingdom’s 1 million trees initiative that Mohammed Al Yami, a fellow ITC stu- Nursery tour and flowers throughout the area. is scheduled to be completed by the end dent, explained how he used to plant The tour began at the Dhahran Nurs- of March. when he was young, and how he was ery, which is currently displaying indoor Halah T. Al Betairi, acting adminis- enthusiastic to see his full-grown tree plants such as seasonal flowers and trator of Gardening and Sanitation Ser- Al Betairi continued, “CCSD strives to one day. the arabian sun March 31, 2021 company news 11 Digital radiography technology adds oxygen to welding inspections ahead of 2023 rollout The Inspection Department has suc- Comparing the digital cessfully field-tested digital radiography radiography image (bottom) technology to test project welding safety. Toward a circular economy quality to the conventional A circular economy is one of the radiography image (top), the latest global business models that weld defects can easily be The first digital tests of welding quality Aramco is adopting. Circular economy and integrity were performed at the Ha- captured as seen in the encircled areas. This is due to is essentially the conservation and radh and Hawiyah gas production plants the enhanced radiographic reuse of materials. Instead of making, on the giant Ghawar field, and pave the image sharpness also known in using, and then disposing of materi- way for a planned companywide rollout the industry as “spatial als, circular economy tries to keep to replace conventional testing by 2023. resolution.” resources in use for as long as possible by extending their life and then recycling them into something else. Digitizing industrial radiography test- There are many opportunities ing vastly improves image quality and within the company where circular process speed, and does away with haz- economy can be applied effectively. ardous chemicals, dedicated dark rooms, Inspection engineering is one of those lengthy transportation, and specialized areas. storage facilities. Once digital radiography technology is rolled out to all Aramco projects and operating facilities by 2023, it will Under the new two-minute process, result in the elimination of the digital detectors automatically produce production of millions of hardcopies a high quality electronic image. This can portation and storage of sensitive films in result of collaboration between the In- of conventional films and climate-con- be scanned and displayed on any dig- climate-controlled facilities. spection Department, the Gas Compres- trolled storage facilities, replacing ital monitor, sent over the internet, and sion Project Department, Spanish-based them with digital images stored on a stored on the cloud or memory sticks. It The main objective of project inspec- contractor Técnicas Reunidas, local con- cloud server. The technology will also have a positive environmental impact can also be printed, if necessary, using tion is to ensure quality. Projects have struction contractor Nasser S. Al Hajri by eliminating the use of thousands of reusable film. significant welding operations on-site Corporation, and a local nondestructive gallons of processing chemicals. or at fabrication shops. Using X-rays or technologies (NDT) service provider, the Bader A. Busbait, manager of the Previously, manual radiography test- gamma rays to see through the welds NDT Corrosion Control Services Company. Inspection Department, said digital ing was a lengthy 30-minute process that automatically ensures the joints meet radiography was only the first step for involved using special equipment with standard acceptance criteria for safe and Isa H. Al-Mudaibegh, an NDT engineer the department’s digital transforma- chemicals and darkroom technology to reliable operation. with the Inspection Department, was im- tion. “There are numerous other inspec- extract a lower quality paper image, akin pressed with the results of the digital ration programs, services, and tech- to analog photography. After extraction, The digital radiography technology diographs. niques that have great potential for the picture was interpreted to assess the will be deployed on all company projects digitization and optimization that will weld quality. and operating facilities by 2023, and will “Welding inspection using digital ra- be implemented in the near future,” shorten the cycle of weld examination, diography will be more reliable in terms he said. This manual process was time-con- significantly improving project progress. of inspection quality, when compared to “This will ultimately support suming, often resulting in backlogs and conventional testing, and far more effi- Aramco’s circular economy.” project delays, partly as a result of trans- The successful deployment was the cient.”

Photographic memory A long pipeline into the desert Work crews battle the desert elements while laying pipeline between Qatif Junction and Abqaiq in this photo from July 1966.

The Arabian Sun is a North Admin Building, Room AN-1080, Publishing director: Meteb F. Al-Qahtani Articles and coverage can be Saudi Arabian Oil Company (Saudi weekly publication issued C-05A, Dhahran, Saudi Arabia Supervisor Content Creation: Jamsheed Din requested through CRM. Aramco) is a joint stock company, with free of charge by the Telephone (013) 876-0374 Editors: William Bradshaw and Todd Williams Correspondence may be addressed to certificate of registration number Corporate Communication Email: [email protected] Editorial staff: Musherf Alamri, Eamonn the editor, North Admin Building, 2052101105, having its principal office Support Department for ISSN: 1319-156X Houston, Scott Baldauf, Dalia Darweesh and Room AN-1080, C-05A. at P.O. Box 5000, Dhahran, Postal Code Saudi Aramco employees. Articles may be reproduced provided Rawan Nasser. 31311, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, and The Arabian Sun is credited. Designer: Husam Nasr. with fully paid capital of SAR 60,000,000,000. the arabian sun March 31, 2021 12 Jubah: an open-air museum where millennia are carved in rock see pages 6 and 7

Springtime in the Eastern Province By Musherf Alamri the mighty Ramah Wadi, which starts in the Medina Region, and crosses the Qa- A three-hour drive northwest of sim and Eastern regions for 1,000 km. Dhahran, the desert is blooming with life. Desert truffles The landscape from Nariya to Hafar Locals and tourists alike go looking al-Batin, a further two-and-a-half hours for desert truffles, called “faqae,” in away has sprouted seasonal green grass the Hafar al-Batin area. The delicacies and wildflowers. are also available for purchase from the vegetable market in the city. The area Nariya, a governorate of 52,000 resi- is also known for its livestock, and it is dents has plenty of green landscape to common for butchers from Dammam to enjoy. Some tourists then proceed 70 source meat from here. km northward to Qaryat al-'Ulya, “the upper village” in Arabic, which has wit- Hafar al-Batin’s location presents many nessed important events in the forma- options to tourists with bigger travel tion of the Saudi state. plans. From here you can go to Kuwait This thriving desert with plants and flowers in Nariya is around 200 km northwest from via the Ar-Ruq’i crossing, which is 110 Nariya and Hafar al-Batin attracts many tourists Dhahran, and is the closest town to Aramco Other tourists then drive to the Hafar km northeast of the city; Riyadh, which is from the Kingdom as well as the Gulf facilities in the northern area, such as Manifa al-Batin Governorate, which is 500 km 500 km to the south; or continue north- Cooperation Countries, particularly Kuwait. So, and As Saffaniyah. Nariya has plenty of green it is common for hotels to have high occupancy landscape to enjoy, and many may choose to northwest of Dhahran and has around west to 'Ar'ar, Sakaka, or Jordan. rates during this time of the year. end their trip here and enjoy the surroundings. 382,000 residents. Hafar al-Batin city has (Photos: Musherf Alamri) the only dam in the Eastern Region. This desert thriving with plants and flowers attracts many domestic, and in The dam was built to stop the city normal times international tourists, and of trucks streaming from the Dammam Travelers are advised to ensure they flooding from the al-Batin Wadi, part of it is common for hotels to have high oc- port to Jubail Industrial City can take the have sufficient supplies, a suitable cupancy rates this time of the year. Dhahran-Jubail expressway, then turn vehicle, and have informed someone via Road 6 in Jubail to Expressway 95, about their planned route and return Those wishing to avoid the caravan and eventually take a left to Road 85. time.

In the Hafar al-Batin area, many locals and tourists go looking for Hafar al-Batin Governorate, which has around the desert truffles, which are 382,000 residents, and is 500 km northwest of called locally “faqae.” During the Dhahran. Hafar al-Batin City is located in season, people can purchase Al-Batin Wadi, which part of a Ramah Wadi, truffles from the vegetable which starts from the Khaybar area in the market in the city, although they Medina region, crosses the Qasim region and are not cheap. Eastern region. Majestic wadi Eric M. Cordoves was on vacation with his family in December and spent a day in Al Dissah on the way to Tabuk. Wadi Al Dissah, a majestic valley hidden 220 km south of the Tabuk region, is surrounded by beautiful, striking red pillar shaped mountains with fresh, clear water springs in hidden spots. Cordoves said the sweet scent of fresh air from palm trees brings a unique tranquility that was accentuated at both sunrise and sunset. He lives in Ras Tanura and works in Tanajib as a maintenance engineer in the Northern Area Gas Producing Department. Cordoves has been with the company 12 years.