February 19, 2020 Vol. LXXV, No. 8 a weekly Saudi Aramco publication for employees UAV technology for safer Livesaving Rules operations and a greener The Loss Prevention Department goes the extra mile to deliver environment critical safety messages to company The use of unmanned aerial vehicles contractors, using past incidents to (UAVs) not only helps the company better determine what needs to be said, monitor difficult-to-reach areas, but and then delivering the messages in also reduces the risks to employees who a variety of languages to make sure respond to emergency incidents. those messages are understood. see page 5 8see page 6 iktva coming of age with eye on partnership opportunities see page 3

Iktva has transformed the dynamics of the Saudi Aramco supply chain with a drive for locally produced products and services.

OPEC basket Saudi Aramco a taste of five-week price trend 2020 by the numbers Vietnam $ 65.64 64.36 60.29 Ithra’s first Cultural 55.18 55.29 Day Festival proves to be a big success as participants get a flavor of Vietnam food, clothes, investments from more than 25 countries music, and more. 468have been collected through the company’s iktva program, which has brought an see page 9 Jan. 17 Jan. 24 Jan. 31 Feb. 7 Feb. 14 estimated $6.5 billion into the Kingdom. February 19, 2020 the arabian sun 2 company news your -Novel Coronavirus questions answered

Is it safe to receive a letter or a package from At this time, treatment consists of supportive care China? for the symptoms of novel coronavirus. There is no Yes, it is safe. Receiving a package or letter from specific medicine to cure novel coronavirus. China will not put you at risk of contracting the new coronavirus. Coronaviruses do not survive long Who is at high risk, and what to do? on objects such as letters or packages. The current epidemiology identifies individuals who have recently traveled to China, or who have Does the new coronavirus affect older had close contact with someone who has been people, or are younger people also diagnosed with novel coronavirus. susceptible? If you fit the description above, and within 14 The novel coronavirus can be contracted by days you develop flu-like symptoms such as a high people of all ages. However, older people and temperature, sore throat, coughing, or people with pre existing medical conditions, such breathlessness, seek medical assistance. Call the as diabetes, appear to be more vulnerable to JHAH Nurse Care Line (800-305-4444, option 3) to becoming severely ill with the virus. speak to an experienced health care professional, or contact your registered health care provider. Is there a vaccine? Outside of clinic hours, please go to the At this time, there is no vaccine for novel Emergency Department. coronavirus. However, there are efforts being made to develop an effective preventive treatment. You can visit JHAH.com for novel coronavirus updates and health education material, or follow Is there a cure for novel coronavirus? us on Twitter and Instagram @JHAHNews.

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your voice hiding behind the mask called judgment Those people who greet you or smile These codes, known in psychology as I was surprised another time when I when they pass by in the company corri- Heuristic, are the mechanism by which passed by a nearby house and found dors, even if you do not know them, are people resort to solving problems and small cups next to the door, until I found very positive. making decisions quickly and efficiently. cats and birds eating and drinking as the But sometimes you may meet people In many cases, it can lead to the commis- owner was putting food and water out who don’t even look at you. Someone sion of cognitive biases, through which for them. might describe them as unsociable or un- we resort to the release of judgments on We all hold in our hands invisible friendly. In fact, I immediately feel upset people and things around us. knives capable of hurting others, and we when someone stereotypes people on How many times have you seen a per- may even harm the closest people to us. only assumptions, suspicions, or simply, son and judged them for their clothes, I think that to judge someone, you wrong judgments. nationality, or even their laughter? If must have complete information about The human brain often tends to laze someone laughs loudly, they be consid- their past, present, and future. Since about thinking, forming new ideas, or ered a showoff, and if they laugh quietly, you often know only a small part of the by Nagy Awad working on developing old ones. At they may be considered shy. If they laugh present, there is no way to have a proper Dhahran those times, they look for what they constantly, they are silly. judgment or form a full vision of it. [email protected] have in the past, and use the codes and I was once resentful of a person who Maybe the person you think is unap- symbols of information they already had was absent from work and did not ac- proachable just wants to talk to some- that they thought were usable — no complish something that needed to be one and open up to share their thoughts Your Voice reflects the thoughts and opinions matter what their position or situation is done, until I found that his daughter was or concerns. So be careful not to hide of the writer, and not necessarily those of the publication. now. sick with cancer and went to treatment. behind a mask called judgment. the arabian sun February 19, 2020 company news 3 iktva coming of age with eye on partnership opportunities by Eamonn Houston Al-Khobar — As the final preparations for the iktva Forum and Exhibition 2020 are being made by teams from a group of goods you can export Saudi Aramco organizations at the Dhahran Expo, there is a firm belief among all in- volved that the signature localization pro- trade with three continents from a global hub gram event will attract thousands of visitors representing key local and international companies. Under the patronage of HRH Prince Saud bin Naif Al Saud, iktva 2020 is being held over two days on Feb. 24 and 25, and will see thousands of decision makers and sup- pliers’ representatives converge on Dhahran Expo, where they will be exposed to the ever-growing business opportunities afford- ed as a direct result of the program. They will be treated to an intense pro- gram of panel discussions, workshops, seminars, and keynote addresses. The forum is being conducted with companywide support and collaboration, across all business lines, including Techni- cal Services, Corporate Affairs, Upstream, Technology Oversight and Coordination, Finance, Strategy and Development, Down- stream, and Operations and Business Ser- vices — all coming together in preparation for this year’s iktva Forum and Exhibition. They have worked hand-in-hand contrib- uting tangibly on all aspects required to ready been deployed and more are in the platform for companies interested in estab- make this year’s event a success — logistics pipeline,” Al Yami added. lishing a presence in the Kingdom, and for for site preparation, identification of busi- “Iktva has attracted more than 468 in- existing companies with expansion plans, ness opportunities, and active engagement vestments from more than 25 countries with many investment opportunities pre- of the participants on the technical aspects, with an estimated capital investment of sented during the event. Iktva has attracted as well as identifying and developing busi- $6.5 billion,” says Abdullah B. Al Thaaly, “We also share our commitments to the ness opportunities. manager of the Industrial Development and Kingdom and Vision 2030, by explaining more than 468 Iktva is a story of tangible value creation Strategic Supply Department. our efforts to diversify and localize the en- resulting from the joint effort of all organi- “This reflects the appetite of investors to ergy sector,” says Al-Shammary. investments from zations within Saudi Aramco and a corner- be part of this transformation and have a “The main object of this event is to de- stone of the company’s strategic intent. presence within the Kingdom,” Al Thaaly liver the strategic message of the company more than 25 explained. to our partners. The event is very much a working toward the 70% goal The iktva Forum and Exhibition 2020 is an vehicle of communication,” Al Yami added. countries with an The stated goal is to localize 70% of opportunity for Saudi Aramco’s partners to The 2020 iktva forum will engage visitors Saudi Aramco’s procurement spend, while “get together” and take stock of the pos- in multiple investment opportunity work- estimated capital raising energy-related exports to 30%, and itive impact of the program. The two-day shops. A total of 12 investment opportunity create thousands of jobs for young Saudis. forum provides a platform for companies sessions and 23 seminars will be held. investment of $6.5 To showcase the iktva success story and interested in establishing operations in Sau- “This year’s iktva event will present more fuel the program’s momentum, the forum di Arabia to engage with the Kingdom’s en- than 170 investment opportunities with an billion. will engage Saudi Aramco’s partners and ergy sector stakeholders and key suppliers. estimated annual market size of $14 bil- — Abdullah B. Al Thaaly key energy sector decision makers globally The event brings together a broad spec- lion,” said Al Thaaly. on a variety of levels with technology and trum of local and international investors to innovation very much at the forefront. explore investment opportunities. Experts focus on cutting-edge tech Mohammad A. Al-Shammary, vice pres- and specialists from various industries and This year, the forum and exhibition will ident of Procurement and Supply Chain companies contribute to dynamic panel use cutting-edge technologies to showcase Management (P&SCM), describes iktva as discussions, presentations, workshops, and the iktva journey and provide an overview “a holistic and collective” pathway to lo- seminars. of the industrial parks, anchor projects, calization, Saudization, improving research On top of that, the forum brings together and training institutions that will equip and development, and the nurturing of an enablement ecosystem represented by young Saudis with the skills necessary to local subject matter experts, in addition to government entities with many programs transform the Kingdom’s economic land- promoting the Kingdom as an export hub.” designed to drive, support, and accelerate scape. “We have made great progress so far, investments and operations in the King- Iktva 2020 will include an “Opportunity achieving 56% iktva levels as of 2019, but dom. During the 2018 iktva Forum and Zone,” which will enable subject matter it does not stop there. Everyone in Saudi Exhibition, more than 4,000 participants experts to share their stories, market their Aramco, in collaboration with our suppliers, representing 1,000 companies from 40 services, and offer a valuable chance to net- will keep the momentum going to achieve countries attended. work with the energy sector’s big hitters. our target of 70% while driving excellence, The event also offers an opportunity for Innovative products that have found efficiency, and competitiveness of our sup- collaboration and engagement between their way to market will also be celebrat- ply chain,” Al-Shammary added. companies in the energy sector supply ed, products that range from UAVs to The iktva program evolved over the years chain. Attendees have an opportunity to mini-robot inspection submarines. to accommodate what motivates the sup- interact with a range of companies who Companies that have excelled and pliers and contractors to excel and make it have either established operations in Saudi demonstrated excellence over a range of a successful program. Arabia, or are in the process of doing so. categories will also be recognized in an “This is the iktva program’s fifth event Many of Saudi Aramco’s major suppliers are award ceremony. and a way to celebrate our success with our present, and are themselves driving the lo- “We also focus on rewarding excellence partners in localization,” says P&SCM gen- calization of their own supply chains. in our partner companies. Iktva is a national eral manager Nassir S. Al Yami. event — and actually a global event — with “Iktva has transformed the dynamics of investment opportunities the top CEOs in the energy sector in atten- the supply chain. New capabilities have al- The iktva forum and exhibition provides a dance,” Al-Shammary adds. February 19, 2020 the arabian sun 4 company news Water Arabia : a technological road map toward sustainability by Musherf Alamri Al-Khobar — More than 1,260 profes- sionals, engineers, and academics partic- ipated in Water Arabia 2020, which was held recently in an al-Khobar area hotel. Organized under the patronage of HE Abdulrahman A. Al Fadley, Minister of En- vironment, Water, and Agriculture, Water Arabia is dedicated to discussing the latest trends in water, wastewater treatment, and While we are making conservation — a very important topic for the Middle East region, which has some of tremendous progress the most arid landscape in the world. Saudi Aramco, represented by the Utili- in water ties and Facilities Services Department, was the diamond sponsor. sustainability, the The sixth edition of the Water Arabia Conference and Exhibition featured three Mohammed A. Al-Mugahwi of the Abqaiq Rakan W. Banna of Saudi Aramco’s Sea Water Plants Operations Department speaks about the Injection Department presents on “3-D Printing urgency remains for keynote speakers, three workshops, 39 ex- “Utilization of First Pass RO Reject in Backwash for Sand Filter Laterals.” Water Arabia featured hibitors, and nine posters from five universi- for Multimedia Filters.” The sixth edition of 37 technical presentations divided into three all of us to continue ties. There were 37 technical presentations Water Arabia Conference and Exhibition tracks — advanced water desalination divided into three tracks — advanced wa- featured three keynote speakers, three technologies, wastewater treatment our efforts toward ter desalination technologies, wastewater workshops, 39 exhibitors, and nine posters from technologies, and special topics. five universities. treatment technologies, and special topics. exploring innovative “Innovative Water and Wastewater Tech- nologies in the Fourth Industrial Revolu- executive director Nabeel I. Al-Afaleg said the sanitary water generated in Saudi Ar- solutions, finding tion (IR 4.0)” was the theme for the event, Saudi Arabia has taken major strides in wa- amco communities was treated for reuse, which was organized by the Saudi Arabian ter management and conservation. Al-Afa- illustrating the company’s commitment for enabling technologies, Water Environment Association, the Water leg underscored the huge investment that sustainability. Environment Federation (WEF), and the In- the Kingdom has made in building water “While we are making tremendous prog- and expanding ternational Desalination Association. infrastructure and implementing conserva- ress in water sustainability, the urgency re- economic renewable commitment to investment tive programs. mains for all of us to continue our efforts Al-Afaleg pointed out that Saudi Aramco toward exploring innovative solutions, find- energy resources. and water conservation continues to be a leader within the region ing enabling technologies, and expanding Saudi Aramco Community Services acting for water conservation. In 2019, 80% of economic renewable energy resources,” he — Nabeel I. Al-Afaleg said. While promoting conservation and rais- The event featured a number of Gas Development in Arid Environments” ing awareness about the importance of speakers from Saudi Aramco, including: • Saud A. Abudaly, from the Sea personal accountability in water and food ment, Water and Agriculture, spoke about • Mohammed A. Al-Mugahwi, of Water Injection Department, presented security, IR 4.0 technologies will be key to the National Water Strategy, which is in the Abqaiq Plants Operations Depart- on “Expanding the Envelope of Nonme- dealing with water scarcity, Al-Afaleg said. line with Saudi Vision 2030. The strategy ment, spoke about “Utilization of First tallic for High-Pressure Applications” “The day is coming where our growing provides a road map toward a sustainable Pass RO Reject in Backwash for Multime- • Ridha H. Abbas, of the Sea Water industry and agriculture will be supplied sector that will preserve and grow the King- dia Filters” Injection Department, delivered a with a more sustainable source of water, dom’s water resources, while also contrib- • Rakan W. Banna, from the Sea presentation titled “Sinking Groundwater and as a result, the Kingdom’s precious uting to economic development. Water Injection Department, presented Cost of Energy at Saudi Arabia” groundwater will be preserved,” he said. John Trofatter, a WEF board of trustees’ on “3-D Printing for Sand Filter Laterals” • Mahmoud A. Alkahlout, from the “Actually, this is no longer a vision. It is be- member, gave an overview of the organiza- • Mohammad S. Alajaji, with Abqaiq Riyadh Refinery Department, spoke coming a reality. We in Saudi Aramco do tion, and how it supports water profession- Plants Operations, spoke about the about “Chlorine Dioxide Effectiveness on not consider wastewater a disposable com- als. He underscored the importance of the “Abqaiq Plants Water Treatment Program Microbial Corrosion — A Case Study.” modity, but a resilient resource with which circular economy toward achieving sustain- Assessment” • Faisal B. Al-Mutairi from the to supply our industrial facilities.” able water resources. • Mansor Kashir, from the Environ- Mechanical Services Shops Department The former president of WEF and a pro- mental Protection Department, spoke delivered a presentation titled “Sustain- National Water Strategy a road fessor at the University of Nebraska-Lin- about “Best Environmental Practices to able Industrial Wastewater Treatment map to a sustainable sector coln, Mohamed Dahab, delivered a keynote Reduce the Impact of Unconventional System for Reusing Purposes.” HE Abdulaziz Al-Shaibani, Deputy Minis- speech about “Water Scarcity in the MENA ter for Water Affairs, Ministry of Environ- Region.” Manifa Producing develops intelligent dashboards in-house by Mohammed A. Homoud control. Manifa — Saudi Aramco is on a digital In 2019, MPD developed six intelligent The Manifa Producing Department transformation journey, which is part of the dashboards — two related to chemical developed six Fourth Industrial Revolution (IR 4.0), leading monitoring, two related to enhance rotat- intelligent to an exponential positive change in auto- ing equipment reliability, and two related dashboards, including mation, reliability, compliance, and optimi- to operation safety. They were developed an in-house developed zation. by applying the IR 4.0 components, which chemical dashboard, which monitors more And that is certainly the case within the are collecting data while also applying ad- than 50 injection Manifa Producing Department (MPD) as the vanced analytics and programming tech- systems by analyzing Manifa engineering team is working dili- niques to transform them into monitoring and filtering more gently to make sure that the digital trans- and planning tools. than 1,000 pieces of formation journey is active and accelerated. The journey started with an in-house de- data through an innovative algorithm. The corresponding impacts of the trans- veloped chemical dashboard, which moni- formation, such as cost saving and com- tors more than 50 injection systems by ana- pliance, are achieved by tightening the lyzing and filtering more than 1,000 pieces over, the dashboard has several other fea- an increase of 45% in compliance. variance between target and actual by of data through an innovative algorithm. tures such as historical performance trends All of the innovations carried out were providing a real-time monitoring tool and This achievement required more than 400 of each system. Also, it is connected to lab developed in-house. As a result of the ef- taking advantage of soft sensing concepts. engineering hours to be developed and de- sample results to identify areas of optimiza- forts exerted by the team, the ideas have Several opportunities have been identi- ployed. tion and compliance. been shared in several venues and one fied in the areas of automation, fast track- The chemical dashboard consists of three Another powerful dashboard is the one dashboard was recently presented at the ing, efficient control of chemical injection, sections: (1) past performance; (2) present related to switchover planning, monitoring, International Petroleum Technology Con- chemical inventory, accuracy, and budget situation; and (3) future predictions. More- and reporting. This initiative has resulted in ference 2020. the arabian sun February 19, 2020 company news 5 UAV technology for safer operations advanced technologies lessen logistical challenges in the field sprawling across the Kingdom will prove to be very effective in terms of time, cost, safety, and resources required.” safer, faster, and more cost-effective solutions To meet business needs, ID has expand- ed the UAV fleet by 20 units. Bader A. Busbait, ID manager, and Ro- botics and UAV Track champion, said: “This expansion is part of Saudi Aramco’s strategy to accelerate the adoption and autonomous and remote operations,” Al- deployment of UAV and robotics technol- Walaie said. ogy to address corporate challenges and ID transferred seven UAVs to AITD to be introduce new improvement opportuni- used for live video streaming to the Saudi ties.” Aramco Corporate Crisis and Continuity Adel S. Doulab, Area IT Department Management Center in the Oil Supply (AITD) manager said, “Integrating a UAV Planning and Scheduling Department platform with an IT infrastructure will during corporate emergency situations. provide unified end-to-end live video This partnership enables IT to continue to streaming services, facilitate a real-time provide critical services using UAV technol- decision making process, and enable an ogy integrated with IT infrastructure. agile response during incidents.” Advanced technologies are essential, not only for AITD and ID departments, training UAV pilots with but the company in general. And as dis- best-in-class methods tance, difficulty, danger, and quick re- In a successful partnership with AITD, sponse remain persistent challenges in ID organized an UAV training and certi- the energy industry, Saudi Aramco will Unmanned aerial vehicles provide vantage points and access to facilities that are extremely difficult fication program for 14 IT candidates to continue to strive to find solutions to and less safe for employees. be certified UAV pilots. The two-week ex- such scenarios. Technological advances tensive training and certification program and artificial intelligence will always con- Dhahran — Technology and training go and sometimes great heights to apply po- covered the required knowledge, testing, tribute to the success of the company. hand in hand at Saudi Aramco, especially tential solutions. and hands-on skills to operate UAVs safe- when it comes to safety and environmen- Consequently, with the use of UAVs ly and effectively inside facilities. tal protection. with high-definition long-range cam- With competent and highly qualified The Inspection Department (ID) works eras, radiometric thermal imaging, instructors delivering the two-week train- diligently with Information Technology and advanced sensors that can provide ing program, participants spent time in (IT) to prepare its workforce for emergen- high-quality images, videos, and thermal classrooms, had learning hands-on flying cy incidents that can occur in the line of profiles, these risks are lessened. sessions, and taking practice examina- work, including fires, spills, or pipeline The dual thermal and optical cameras tions. The employees successfully passed leaks. And though it may seem difficult to mounted on UAVs are essential for emer- the certification exam and are now certi- curtail the threat to workers in such situa- gency response. Instead of sending in first fied UAV operators — Pilots in Command tions, the company has taken a bold step responders, a drone can scan the area to — prepared with the skills and knowl- forward with the utilization of unmanned locate hot spots on the ground. edge required to operate UAVs safely and aerial vehicle (UAV) technology. When used with zoom or infrared cam- effectively. eras, the drone can detect people in ad- how UAVs make emergency verse and other low visibility scenarios. expanding capabilities, response safer For this reason, UAVs are key enablers to enhancing services Through the use of live video streaming access an incident’s aftermath damage Soliman A. Al-Walaie, a senior consul- during an emergency response to inci- condition, plan recovery operations, and tant and Robotics and UAV Track tech- dents, risks associated with the distance perform search and rescue activities faster nical leader, noted such technologies or remoteness of a scene are greatly to keep responders and employees away are only the beginning. “Artificial intel- mitigated. Historically, a response to in- from danger. ligence, data analytics, and the Internet cidents in these areas created logistical IT system analyst Haitham Ghawji said, of Things are becoming an integral part challenges that were not only costly, but “Using UAVs to replace the physical in- of the next-generation UAVs that will also posed a greater risk to individuals spection of the vast fiber optic cable substantially expand capabilities, as they needed to traverse difficult areas networks and communications towers applications, and enable fully

Saudi Aramco has taken a bold step forward with the use of unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) technology, which provides responses to fires, spills, and leaks that can be difficult to curtail and threaten the well-being of employees and workers. To meet business needs, the Inspection Department has expanded the UAV fleet by 20 units. February 19, 2020 the arabian sun 6 company news Lifesaving Rules campaign launched by Loss Prevention Department

The Loss Prevention Department (LPD) launched a Doing so not only ensures the safety of personnel, year-long companywide safety campaign focused on but also ensures smooth and efficient business op- the company’s Lifesaving Rules — a set of rules to erations. prevent eight safety actions that accounted for 90% of hazardous incidents over the past 10 years. safety in any language To cement the company’s role as an industry leader To ensure that the campaign resonates with as in the areas of safety, and in a first for the company, many people as possible, the department decided to this critical safety information is being communicat- steer away from the norm of only releasing materials ed in a range of different languages to ensure these in English and Arabic and instead opted to include a rules are understood and embraced. number of additional languages, including Tagalog, Saudi Aramco has some of the most rigorous safety Mandarin, Urdu, and Hindi. requirements and practices in the industry, and from “In LPD, we are always looking at ways to improve its earliest days has recognized that safety is not only the way in which we do things,” said Abulfaraj. We critical to operational success, but also to the protec- knew that many of our workforce, including contrac- tion of its people and assets. Through the decades, tors, might struggle to understand English or Arabic, the company has continually challenged itself to de- and so we took the step to bring them critical safety velop the standards, technologies, and engineering information in their mother tongue. This is our way guidelines to ensure a safe working environment. of saying that we will do anything in our power to However, safety practices are only as effective as ensure that we provide our proponent partners with the people who follow them, and this was the key the necessary tools to go home safely every day.” focus for LPD when Aali A. Al-Zahrani, executive di- To ensure as wide of a reach as possible, LPD area rector of Safety and Industrial Security, launched the offices will be working with proponents across the department’s safety campaign centered on the com- Kingdom to train the workforce using a number of pany’s “Lifesaving Rules.” multilingual educational training videos and materi- using past behaviors to als. set a safer course ensuring our people get home safe Obtain a valid work Verify isolation before Staying safe at work means practicing positive Speaking to the effectiveness of the Lifesav- permit when required starting any work safety behaviors, and while LPD recognizes that ing Rules, Ali S. Al Ajmi, general manager of the some work situations are more hazardous than oth- Safaniyah Area Producing Department, says, “The ers, it also recognizes that practicing safety behav- Lifesaving Rules concept has proven to be highly ef- iors is ultimately an individual responsibility. This led fective in driving our corporate safety value. We have Obtain a valid work Verify isolation before to the implementation of the company’s Lifesaving built a solid platform to make our company safer and permit when required starting any work Rules in 2018. more sustainable.” Providing insight into the rules, Ghassan G. Abul- Adel O. BenDuheash, manager of the South faraj, manager of LPD, explains, “Saudi Aramco de- Ghawar Producing Department, adds, “The Lifesav- veloped a comprehensive set of rules to ensure that ing Rules are more than a set of guidelines; it is a work activities are carried out in a safe and sustain- decade’s worth of data highlighting the exact areas able manner. Following an in-depth review of past where improvement is needed. These rules are in incidents, we identified that the majority of fatal inci- place not only to improve our safety performance, dents were caused by a failure to comply with eight but to ensure that our people go home safely to their specific rules. We call these the Lifesaving Rules.” families every day.” Interestingly, the rules are not new to the company Launching the campaign, Al-Zahrani said, “The Obtain authorization Use required fall protection and have long been established in Saudi Aramco’s Lifesaving Rules help to remind us how we can make beforeObtain entering authorization a Useequipment required fall whenprotection working safety standards, General Instructions and the Safety significant improvements, while also urging us to re- before entering a equipment when working Handbook. LPD realized that the best way to effect new our commitment to safety excellence.” confinedconfined space space atat heights heights positive change was to narrow the focus on the ba- For more information related to the Lifesaving sics, while ensuring that all employees and contrac- Rules, please visit the LPD website, or click the cam- tors are made aware of the rules, and align to them. paign promotional banner on your MyHome page.

Saudi Aramco developed a Follow all traffic Obtain authorization comprehensive set of rules to ensure that safety rules before starting excavation activities Follow all traffic Obtain authorization work activities are carried out in a safe safety rules before starting and sustainable manner. Following an excavation activities in-depth review of past incidents, we identified that the majority of fatal incidents were caused by a failure to comply with eight specific rules. Use the required Position yourself in a personal protection safe location equipment for your job — Ghassan G. Abulfaraj

Use the required Position yourself in a personal protection safe location equipment for your job the arabian sun February 19, 2020 company news 7 a new era of financial reporting first Saudi Accountants Forum talks to technology, transparency by Abdulrahman Abuljadayel and the future of the accounting and audit- Riyadh — As Saudi Arabia marches to- ing professions. ward boosting economic growth and at- In a session titled “The Role of Financial tracting new investments, the importance Information in Enhancing the Investment of streamlining accounting practices, com- Environment,” Musaad A. Al Sayouhi, Al-Dabbagh called for mitting to transparency, and the best finan- Saudi Aramco’s acting general manager of cial reporting practices is greater than any the Planning, Budgeting, and Performance a paradigm shift in the other time in the country’s history, Khalid Management Center, outlined the impact Kingdom’s accounting H. Al-Dabbagh, Saudi Aramco senior vice on local and global investment sectors af- president of Finance, Strategy and Devel- ter the company’s recent partial listing on profession in line with opment, told attendees at the first Saudi Tadawul. Accountants Forum (SAF) held recently in Al Sayouhi also discussed the expected changes in financial Riyadh. rate of investment and comparisons be- reporting standards, In delivering in the keynote address, tween Saudi Aramco and other leading in- Al-Dabbagh noted that the Kingdom has ternational oil companies and non-oil com- investor expectations made historic progress in these areas in panies. regarding recent years — particularly after the Coun- Khalid H. Al-Dabbagh speaks on the importance He urged participants to follow Saudi Ar- cil on Economic Affairs and Development of streamlining accounting practices, amco’s financial reporting example to bet- transparency in committing to transparency, and the best launched the Financial Sector Development ter serve investors, which in turn will serve financial reporting practices as Saudi Arabia reporting, code of Program to establish a more diversified and marches toward boosting economic growth and the Kingdom’s and corporations’ interests effective financial sector. attracting new investments. Al-Dabbagh was a as well. ethics for officials and Al-Dabbagh called for a paradigm shift keynote speaker at the first Saudi Accounting As part of the session, participants dis- in the Kingdom’s accounting profession Forum held in Riyadh. Saudi Aramco was a cussed the important role financial infor- accountants, as well strategic partner of the forum. (Photos: in line with changes in financial reporting Mohammed AlShaikh/MPD) mation plays in promoting domestic and as the digital standards, investor expectations regarding boosting foreign investment, as well as the high level of transparency required and technology revolution transparency in reporting, code of ethics how that affects the accounting profession. in finance and participation in for officials and accountants, as well as the digital technology revolution in finance and technological revolutions accounting. workshops accounting. in the finance sector Company subject matter experts Referencing recent successes such as The impact of technology should consid- also participated in six scientific work- the company’s listing on Tadawul, he said, er not only in how it relates to applying ac- training and development efforts, as well as shops, including: “Whether we represent the public or pri- counting and auditing procedures, but also scholarships for accounting students enter- • Yousef A. Al-Yousef, a financial vate sector, and whether we are managers, how standards are applied and how they ing the company. analyst, spoke on the most important financial officers or auditors, each of us are used in the application of standards, As a strategic partner of the forum, Saudi certificates delivered by the FSD Busi- assumes an important role to make capital said Faisal H. Al Homodi, coordinator of Aramco — under the umbrella of the acad- ness Academy markets a success.” Saudi Aramco’s Financial Systems Division. emy — delivered a workshop on a variety • Imraan Mohamed and Mubeen Al Homodi joined other participants in of accounting, finance, and economic top- A. Burney provided an overview of first-of-its-kind event focuses reviewing the challenges faced by financial ics throughout the event. the importance of establishing sound on Vision  goals managers in the new technology era and Leading the way was academy president internal governance and oversight Conducted under the auspices of HE Ma- best practices. Burhanu Deen Jayah, who participated in practices to mitigate potential risk jid A. Al-Qasabi, the Minister of Trade and Saudi Aramco also participated in the fo- a session titled “Education Outcomes and • Mohammed F. Shafi, a trainer Investment, the three-day forum was the rum’s exhibition, with Bader H. Alduways Labor Market Requirements: Reality and and accountant in the Financial De- first of its kind in the Middle East, provid- from the FSD Business Academy briefing Ambitions,” which highlighted that the de- partment, spoke about the 16th In- ing a unique platform for accounting firms, visitors to the booth on the company’s mand for training is expected to increase ternational Financial Reporting Stan- professional bodies, regulatory and control history in accounting, academy activities, threefold in the coming decade. dard on recognition, measurement, bodies, and public sector and business en- presentation, and disclosure in lease terprises to conceptualize how the account- contracts ing and auditing profession can contribute • Ahmed T. Kayen, an accounting to the realization of Saudi Vision 2030. analyst, discussed the role and respon- The event sought to recognize modern sibilities of the financial controller in trends in accounting and accounting in- purchasing materials and services formation systems, while also addressing • Accounting consultant Sami M. challenges faced by digital technology rev- Abu Khamsin gave an overview of olution and sharing global best practices in the company’s capital project plan- accounting and corporate excellence. ning, finance, and controls • Accounting specialist Kamal M. transparency critical to Batniji discussed the Kingdom’s posi- promote investment tion as a G20 member, which requires The event featured eight sessions and 47 Yousef A. Al-Yousef from Saudi Aramco delivers his presentation about one of the professional stronger and more transparent tax speakers, along with global and local ex- scientific workshops within the program of the FSD Business Academy, which was presented on the regulations. perts discussing investment opportunities sidelines of the forum’s activities.

Yanbu’ Refinery wins three global awards for Asset Integrity Management System Yanbu’ — The Yanbu’ Refinery Depart- improvement process was also developed ment (YRD) recently won three interna- and implemented. tional awards from the Institute of Asset Change management, risk manage- Management in London. ment, and failure investigation processes YRD won first place in the Best Team were integrated into the AIMS program Achievements category, and second-place requirements and procedures. recognitions in the Best Project Achieve- Team members attended and gained ment and Customer Services categories. certification with the Institute of Asset Management in asset integrity manage- an accelerated Asset Integrity Yanbu’ Refinery Department employees pose with Abdulatif S. Al-Shami with recognitions the ment. Management System (AIMS) department received from the Institute of Asset Management in London. The team won first place YRD has established and implemented in the Best Team Achievements category, as well as two second-place recognitions. ISO certification 55001 an accelerated transformation road map YRD was also awarded ISO certification to deliver a comprehensive AIMS program across multiple disciplines (mechanical, ment with corporate requirements. 55001 in Asset Management. YRD man- in a professional manner in an accelerated electrical, civil, instrument, rotating, auto- Governance procedures were developed ager Abdulatif S. Al-Shami expressed his time frame. mation, etc.), forming a team of subject and approved for the entire AIMS program sincere appreciation of YRD employees for The work included developing a strate- matter experts, and delivering training and reporting system, and key performance their continuous assistance and efforts that gy for asset management implementation awareness for all stakeholders all in align- indicators were established. A continuous led them to this important achievement. February 19, 2020 the arabian sun 8 company news fishing for a solution preventative biological control measures implemented in Ras Tanura to keep potential mosquito problems at bay by Rod Tomambo controls to curb the problem of the pond- A Ras Tanura Pest ing areas becoming breeding grounds for Control crew Ras Tanura — In the area behind the Ras collects fish on the mosquitoes. These biological controls come Tanura Elementary School, extending all the golf course area in the form of fish species, Aphanius dispar way to the Hobby Farm area, there exists inside the Najmah and Poecilia sp., which have been caught a permanent ponding of water covering community. The from the golf course creek inside the about 5,000 square meters in total. practice of Najmah Camp. transferring the These ponding areas increase dramatical- fish from the golf These fish, released into the ponding ly during the rainy season, which lasts from course area to areas at least once a month or more fre- October to March. Such areas can be po- ponding sites has quently during the rainy season, feed upon tential sources of pests — especially mos- proven successful, mosquito larva and pupae, thereby restrict- quitoes, which may threaten the health and as the fish feed on ing the insect’s population growth. And mosquito larva and wellness of camp residents, employees, and pupae. while most of the fish that have been re- nearby communities. leased complete their life cycle, it is worth noting that no mosquito breeding has been first assessment, found where the fish population has been then control measures released. Mosquito control begins with an accurate This practice is an answer to one of the and thorough assessment of the problem growth regulators, and the use of biolog- a less than perfect solution for long-term company’s goals to contribute to sustain- through surveys, and it then turns to mea- ical control. mosquito control. able environmental protection and biodi- sures best suited to control the situation. When modern pesticides were first intro- In an effort to provide sustainable and versity conservation. Control measures may include one or a duced for the control of public health pests environmentally friendly pest control meth- Also, through the use of a biological con- combination of techniques, including hab- in the middle of the 20th century, some ods, the Residential and Recreation Service trol to reduce the mosquito population in itat modification, control of adults via ul- thought the perfect solution had been Division has pushed the practice of inte- the ponding areas, the need for pesticides tra-low volume or pesticide spraying, larva discovered. Unfortunately, despite some grated pest management. has been eliminated, which has reduced control via pesticides, application of insect success, pesticides ultimately proved to be One such method is the use of biological costs, and is also environmentally friendly. read it on the intranet Yanbu’ Lab achieves ISO 45001:2018 Standard for upgrade of Learning Management System earns company occupational health and safety management system ‘Best User Experience Transformation’ award in Dubai

Members of the Yanbu’ Laboratory team celebrate with management receiving the ISO Abdullah A. Ghabbani, acting director of the Learning Services and Solutions Department, center, is 45001:2018 Standard for an occupational health and safety management system accredited by joined by, from left, SABA Customer Success manager Roy Nour; Technology Learning Solutions the British Standard Institute. The achievement is a testament to the Yanbu’ Laboratory’s Division administrator Wajih Malibari; Hugo Roso, Learning Solutions consultant; and Christian continuous efforts to improve occupational health and safety, eliminate hazards, minimize risks Foerg, general manager (EMEA) of SABA; at the SABA Awards 2019 held in Dubai. Saudi Aramco’s (including system deficiencies), and capture opportunities by enhancing personnel competency. Learning Management System recently earned international acclaim when the company won the “Best User Experience Transformation” award at the SABA Awards in Dubai. spotlight

The Accounting Policies and Systems Department recently recognized employees who have worked 20, 15, 10, and five years for the company. In a ceremony presided over by department manager Abdulaziz A. Al-Ruwaii at Sunset Beach, the following employees were recognized: (20 years) Khalid I. Mayber, and Mazin A. Awami; (15 years) Ahmed Humaid, Osama A. Saeed, Abdullah R. Noaimi, and Wasim N. Abbas; (10 years) Muneer M. Nasser; (five years) Mohammad Alsadka, Carson E. Ammons, Dibyo Chakraborty, Darrell R. Connolly, Mark C. Evers, Ranjodh S. Hayer, Naumaan A. Khan, Abdulbasit A. Meah, Imraan Mohamed, Michel Parent, Hayden R. Ponsford, Zahir Rashid, Mohammad Z. Sabri, Muhammad (Rizwan) Sharif, Brian A. Skelton, Johan Van Der Merwe, Jeffrey Wilkins, Paul C. Wilson, Ahmed M. Yafai, Bandar M. Alghannam, and Talal A. Althukair. (Photo: Ahmad El Itani/MPD) the arabian sun February 19, 2020 community 9

Vietnam Cultural Days concludes with over , visitors Ithra celebrates first edition of biannual Cultural Days Festival

Dhahran — Dumplings were steamed, programming, and to build cultural bridges rice hats were made, acrobats leaped across between the Kingdom and the world. Viet- the stage, and, finally, the last Dragon Pa- nam Cultural Days, he said, was everything rade marched through the plaza. organizers hoped it would be. The King Abdulaziz Center for World Cul- The program featured more than 30 ture (Ithra) has concluded its inaugural Ithra chefs, musicians, artisans, and artists. Not Cultural Days Festival, highlighting Viet- a single creative stone was left unturned as namese culture from Feb. 3 to Feb. 15. The Ithra transformed its entire campus into a all-encompassing program enthralled and Vietnamese cultural oasis. enriched visitors with an authentic Viet- Authentic Vietnamese costumes and namese experience. sculptures were on view around the plaza. The first edition of the program, which Visitors were also thrilled by the AO Show will be held twice a year featuring various — an action-packed acrobatic contempo- countries, was deemed an unqualified suc- rary circus depicting the story of Vietnam- cess, and organizers were delighted to col- ese village life among the country’s racing laborate with the Vietnamese embassy on urbanization. the event. Organizers said the cultures of Saudi Arabia and Vietnam were expressed and celebrated in new and exciting ways. They were particularly happy to see the more than 45,000 visitors who attended the event connect with Vietnamese culture, which has been Ithra’s goal from the begin- ning — celebrating diversity and presenting cross-cultural experiences. Ithra’s mission is to provide global experi- ences to audiences through purpose-driven

From food to fashion and entertainment to crafts, the first Ithra Cultural Days Festival featured something for everyone — even a Vietnamese Dragon Dance. More than 45,000 visitors came to the King Abdulaziz Center for World Culture over the 13-day event.

by Remberly Lugo In support of the Kingdom’s ambitious en- Abqaiq backs vironmental stewardship initiative to plant 1 million native trees in Saudi Arabia by 2025, Saudi Aramco started the 1 Million Trees  Million Trees Program in 2018. The Southern Area/Central Region Com- munity Services Department has helped Program with support that effort by planting 127,300 trees in 2018, and additional 123,800 trees in 2019. The Abqaiq Residential and Recre- another ation Services Division has successfully com- pleted the first phase ahead of schedule, with 160,000 trees being planted at various round of locations, including Abqaiq, ‘Udhailiyah, Hawiyah, Abqaiq Safari, and 45 school lo- Work continues in Abqaiq as the Southern Area/Central Region Community Services Department cations. continues to play its part in helping the company achieve its 1 Million Trees Program goal by 2025. plantings The second phase is at 20% completion, The department planted 127,300 trees in 2018, and 123,800 trees in 2019, with a second phase and is expected to be achieved this year. expected to be completed later this year. (Photo: Hussain Aujaime) the arabian sun February 19, 2020 community news 10

Ithra movies

in cinema

Ithra Heroes Adventure Feb. 22 10:30 a.m. The Cave The Cave is an exploratory film where microbiologist Dr. Hussam Zawawi and speleologist Dr. The Cave Francesco Sauro take us on an expedition to produce new Feb. 19, 20, 21, 22, 24, 25 4:30 p.m. scientific research for “A Study of Microbes in Caves.”

The Son of Bigfoot Feb. 19, 20, 21, 22, 24, 25, 26 4:20 p.m. Feb. 19, 20, 21, 22, 24, 25, 26 6 p.m.

Zero Distance Feb. 20, 21, 24 6 p.m. Feb. 22 noon Feb. 26 4:30 p.m.

The Son of Bigfoot A teenage boy sets off on a journey to find his missing father, only to discover that he’s actually Bigfoot.

Zero Distance A photographer faces his questionable past when he finds a picture of a dead body on his apartment floor, and his pistol missing a bullet.

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