Second Quarter 2019 Issue No. 30 enviroEnvironmental Protection Department news enviro newsSecond Quarter 2019 Issue No. 30 Second Quarter 2019 Issue No. 30

enviroEnvironmental Protection Department news Manager, Omar S. Abdulhamid

Enviro News Editorial Board Chairman, Nassir T. Al-Harbi Ronald Loughland Salman Al-Dossari Hussain Aseeri Mohammad Hajri Ziad Hawi Jumaan Qahtani Abdullah Tawlah Rana M. Al-Ghamdi For questions, comments or any other inquiries regarding Enviro News, please contact Rana M. Al-Ghamdi at [email protected] or call (013) 880-0491

© Saudi Arabian Oil Company, 2019 Environmental Protection Department Contents Horizons 06 In Focus 32

Well Completion Green Site PetroEnvironment 2019, the 9th SA Well Completion Operation Symposium and Exhibition on Department (SAWCOD) is investing its Environmental Progress In The efforts to demonstrate its commitment Petroleum and Petrochemical Industry 33 to environmental responsibility. 07 EPD arranges Company, Kingdom Eye in the sky stewardship messaging efforts at Abu Mapping coral reefs and detecting oil Dhabi Sustainability Week 33 spills with satellites 13 EPD raises biodiversity awareness at Wash out Riyadh Scouts Association conference 33 A look at hand washing to prevent EPD hosts 29th Environmental disease and the role of water Stewardship Workshop 34 temperature 18 EPD participates in 20th Saudi Aramco In Depth 20 Talent Essentials Program 35 EPD conducts special session 100,000 wild hectares for Environmental Coordinators Saudi Aramco’s Biodiversity Protection Development Program 35 Areas 21 EPD attends Fourth UN Environment Japan’s Waste-to-Energy experience Assembly of the UN Environment A viable waste management and Programme 35 renewable opportunity 27 EPD represents Kingdom at UN sustainable development meeting 35 Enhanced recycling program mulled for Central Community Services Department 36 Biodiversity protection area designated at ABHA SSSP 37

EPD biodiversity research published in a scientific journal 37

2 contents

EPD participated in the 4th International Enviro Snaps 50 Ocean Colour Science (IOCS) meeting 37 A Coral Bouquet EPD participation in the 2019 Saudi Aramco enhances efforts to Downstream Global HSE Forum 37 protect and grow coral reefs 51 EPD raises environmental awareness on Earth Day 2019 38

EPD participates in IMO’s Marine Environment Protection Committee (MEPC) 38

Saudi Aramco holds first engagement meeting with SABIC on plastic recycling 38

Congratulations 40 Excellence Award for Greenhouse Gas Emissions Management Program 41

EPD honors six departments at the 2019 President’s Excellence Award Ceremony 42

EPD employee certified as a qualified expert in the field of industrial radiation protection services 45

EPD employee becomes first Saudi national to obtain internationally recognized environmental health certification 45 Fourteen employees obtain qualified environmental professional certification 45

Recognition ceremonies held for Manifa Flank I, II & III and SFNY Subsea Cable Repair Projects Completion 47

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a message from Omar S. Abdulhamid EPD Manager

Saudi Aramco is committed to land. Our fenced areas have the global economy by providing confront major environmental protected the local ecosystem resources and services worth challenges, such as greenhouse from overgrazing, hunting, billions of dollars yearly. gas emissions and industrial firewood collection, and off- waste, fulfilling its obligations to road driving. The Environmental Saudi Aramco continues its efforts the Kingdom’s policies, regulations Protection Department is working to minimize hydrocarbon flaring, and international agreements. closely with numerous proponents through new technologies, best This is made possible by assuring to identify the highest priority practices, and research, for a more compliance at different company patches of habitat on Company environmentally friendly approach facilities, implementing standards, land. Together we identified 18 to our operations. A journey that improving monitoring, and sites of high biodiversity value as Saudi Aramco will continue to do technically supporting operations. of the first quarter of 2019. to achieve business efficiency, and In addition, Saudi Aramco has protect the environment. been supporting programs to In addition, the Company has ensure the highest health and installed over 2,728 artificial reefs safety standards in the workplace. throughout the Arabian Gulf, a number that will continue to rise, Saudi Aramco had made to rebuild marine ecosystems as great efforts in preserving the well as support local fisheries Kingdom’s natural habitats, where industries. Coral reefs are home to some of the best habitats in the thousands of marine species in the Kingdom are found on Company world, and they play a vital role in

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Horizons

6 Well Completion Green Site Ahmad N. AL-Duaij, Khalid A. Al-Saleem, and Abdulrahman G. AL-Harthi, Southern Area Well Completion Operations Department

SA Well Completion Operation project, SAWCOD selected two current environmental impact Department (SAWCOD) is looking locations to conduct the initial of the selected locations on the to fulfil Saudi Aramco’s obligations study, to determine their diesel environment, and development of as a National Company, investing consumption rate and the level initiatives to effectively mitigate its efforts to demonstrate its of emissions before and after and reduce their footprints. These commitment to environmental applying green site practices. initiatives were then implemented responsibility. One of the main The results were outstanding. with a campaign and their initiatives is the Green Site, which The project was started in adaptation into operations and was a project initiated to identify January 2018, and extended daily activities. The result was a the practices in well completion to cover all SAWCOD well more environmentally friendly sites responsible for gas emissions completion sites in three phases. approach. The main objectives and industrial waste. To pilot this Beginning with studies on the of this project were to seek

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opportunities of converting the for the bulk of greenhouse gas methods: site into an energy efficient and emissions resulting from the cost-effective site, offering ways Company’s industrial activities. - Reduction of energy of minimizing our impact on In addition, emissions of all consumption with constant the environment, by optimizing other greenhouse gases from volume of production. SAWCOD equipment and consumables in an the main process operations are analyzed its diesel consumption for one tower light, and eco-friendly way. proportional to CO2 emissions (Khurshid, 2009). This is why our determined a monthly diesel cost of SAR338.4, which will result in Reducing Co2 Emissions & Company-SAWCOD pays special an annual cost of SAR4,060.8. Diesel Consumption attention to CO2 emissions. To

reduce CO2 emissions, we use two - Reducing CO2 emissions through Carbon dioxide (CO2) accounts Pa ae

10,080 5,600 2,800 1,680

Water Bottles Service Plates Tray Plates Forks, Knifes & Spoons

8 the use of low carbon sources of dispensers with recyclable water 2014). Mini paper presses are electricity; wind or solar energy. bottles. This has significantly widespread, and for companies reduced the plastic waste the only problem is the storage Reducing energy consumption generated at the SAWCOD site. of waste paper. Contracts with means getting more results at paper processing enterprises make lower cost. For many years, our Reducing Paper Waste it possible not only to hand over enterprises have focused on the With the passage of time, the paper waste for money, but also energy management system to to receive discounts in exchange increase the energy efficiency of issue of recycling paper waste has not lost its relevance. for products made from this waste equipment, as well as improved paper, such as packaging material. working methods to reduce No matter how far recycling energy losses. technologies have progressed in Paper Waste represents 19% the field, no matter how often a of SAWCOD site waste. To In addition, the site was able to person currently uses electronic reduce it, several initiatives were change halogen floodlights to gadgets to access the world of implemented. Two-sided prints LED floodlights, which helped to information, no matter how are made to reduce paper use. reduce power consumption. The quickly the bureaucratic apparatus Also, paper that used one time is site currently has solar powered is transferred to electronic variants being collected for reuse if blank tower lights, and we are working of relationships with service pages are found. In addition, the to bring a hybrid generator. consumers, one thing remains information and bulletin boards unchanged; paper waste is still Reducing Plastic Waste at the site have been converted produced. to digital media and are displayed Plastic waste represents 67% Almost 90% of large enterprises on screens, eliminating need for of site waste. To reduce plastic have resolved their paper waste printed paper. waste, the site obtained water problem to their advantage (Uitto,

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Reducing Hazardous Waste use. There are economic incentives isolation of waste containing toxic to buying rechargeable batteries substances. Thus, the amount The first method of reducing the instead of single use batteries. of waste that is thrown away is release of toxic substances is the Charging rechargeable batteries reduced. production of durable goods and costs approximately $4 per year. materials. Rechargeable batteries Long-term, it is much cheaper to Reducing Food Waste are growing in popularity. For buy rechargeable batteries instead On a global scale, hunger is one example, a rechargeable battery of single use batteries. pack costs $25. According to of the world’s major problems. statistics, every family spends $20 The second method is the However it can be solved if even on batteries annually. Therefore, collection and isolation of only half of the loss or waste is rechargeable batteries will pay materials containing toxic reduced. This reduction in losses for themselves in two years. In substances. Therefore, it is would also result in a reduction in many countries, there are special necessary to collect recyclables, losses of land, energy, labor, and taxes levied on ordinary disposable as reserves create demand. The water resources.​ In order to find batteries that are discarded after third method is the collection and the right solution to the problem

10 of processing and disposing of lower the freezing temperature elimination of residual volume, food waste, it is necessary to in solutions by 25 – 45 °C, and reduce both the number of conduct research on its origin, during the flowback operation. waste drums, and the potential composition, and actual quantity Therefore ethylene glycol is used for chemical spills. (Khurshid, 2009). That, in turn, mainly as an additive to improve will have many positive results, the nonfreezing properties of Outcome i.e., our losses will be profitable substances. Overall results of the application for us, both in the material In addition, multicomponent of these practices, in addition and in the ecological sense.​ A to the environmental awareness food compost machine used in mixtures based on ethylene glycol can significantly improve of employees and contractors, converting food waste to fertilizer resulted in a general reduction can be used for plant cultivation, the technical and mechanical properties of materials — of solid waste, food waste, and while at the same time sustaining CO2 emissions. The following the environment. increasing their service life and reliability. Ethylene glycol’s figure shows a one site per month Glycol Bulker Tank Supply ignition property is used in the comparison of data, before manufacture of explosives. For this and after applying Green Site The use of ethylene glycol at reason, it is proposed to supply practices. the SAWCOD site, is based and store it in bulk tanks instead on ethylene glycol’s ability to of in drums. This will ensure the 11 Environmental Protection Department

Mn ae en

Wate Seie ay Fos ae in ans ie intin ottles lates lates nies s ottles aes Soons

eoe te

Waste Monthly solid waste before Monthly solid waste after Types reduction/pcs reduction/pcs 1 Water bottles 4480 3240 # 2 Service plates 2800 1700 # 3 Tray plates 1680 840 # 4 Forks, knifes and spoons 5600 4540 # 5 Paper cups 5600 4310 # 6 Tin cans 3024 3024 7 Juice bottles 1400 1400 8 Printing papers 319 159 # Monthly Solid Waste Minimization:

# By using travelling bottles and water dispensers reduced plastic bottles waste. # By using personal mugs reduced paper cups waste. # By using TV screens as digital boards and double-sided printing reduced paper waste.

Food Waste Minimization: organic fertilizer every month. 2. Uitto, J. 2014. Evaluating Environment in International Food composters are used to References Development. Routledge. recycle food waste into organic 1. Khurshid, M. 2009. fertilizer. The unit can produce Environmental initiatives: global 2 kg every 24 hours. Each unit will and national perspective. produce an average of 42 kg of Cornell University.

12 Eye in the sky Mapping coral reefs and detecting oil spills with satellites. Diego Lozano-Cortés, Khaled Asfahani, Hattan Balkhi, Tyas Hikmawan, & Hamed Al-Ghamdi, EPD

Coral reefs are home to thousands 7 that emerged in the turn of Reef Watch. This program uses of marine species in the world, century had a special focus satellite data to provide current and they play a vital role in the on marine environments, thus reef environmental conditions to global economy by providing allowing the collection of images quickly identify areas at risk for resources and services worth of on marine ecosystems that lead coral bleaching. Bleaching is the billions of dollars yearly. These to the Millennium Global Coral process by which corals lose the ecosystems are highly sensitive to Reef Mapping project (NASA symbiotic algae that give them environmental changes and can Earth Observatory, 2015). Led by their distinctive colors. If a coral show signs of distress in response the Institute for Marine Remote is severely bleached, diseases to detrimental conditions almost Sensing at the University of can attack them, leading to coral immediately. For this ability, coral South Florida, this project used death. reefs are considered to be an a dataset of high-resolution (30 indicator for the health of the meter) Images, acquired between Satellites have improved our world’s oceans. Nonetheless, coral 1999 and 2003 from the Landsat knowledge on coral reefs, and reefs are currently disappearing 7 satellite, and developed the that technology is currently worldwide at an alarming rate first global uniform map of shaping management decisions, due to natural and anthropogenic shallow coral reef ecosystems, by collecting near-real time factors, and scientists are fighting in collaboration with the United information on multiple to stop this trend. Nations Environmental Programme environmental variables around World Conservation Monitoring these ecosystems that cannot be In order to protect these (IMaRS-USF, 2005). obtained by in situ observations ecosystems, the first step we (Eakin et al. 2010). There are still need to complete is to know A new generation of satellites some gaps with existing satellite where coral reefs actually are. (Landsat 8) has improved coral technology, as they don’t provide Global maps of the distribution reef mapping, and the current images that provide the level of coral reefs have gone largely sensors aboard have higher of quantitative and qualitative unchanged since the 18th century sensitivity, and can simultaneously data, necessary for creating from data collected during ocean collect important data (such as comprehensive maps of living expeditions, and it was not until sea surface temperatures) to coral reefs, or detecting changes recently that coral reef mapping monitor coral reefs, even in the in their health on a global basis met the modern technology with most remote regions. Emerging (Planetary Coral Reef Foundation the arrival of the Landsat 7. The applications from new satellite 2012). For these reasons, in 2010 Landsat series of satellites were capabilities was the creation of the The Coral Reef Satellite Mission originally created in 1972 to National Oceanic and Atmospheric (CRSM) was launched by The observe landforms, but version Administration (NOAA) Coral Planetary Coral Reef Foundation,

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and proactive oil spill monitoring system. Satellite-based monitoring provides broad advantages, such as rapid spill identification, near real-time imagery for oil spill impact management, and threat assessments. The Environmental Protection Department (EPD) participated in the latest edition of the International Ocean Colour Science meeting (IOCS) on April 8-12, 2019, in Busan, South Korea. During this conference, Figure1: Science of the Total Environment (7) the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) in collaboration with MIT’s response to natural disasters, presented its latest open source Center for Space Research, including oil-spill monitoring as software (SeaDAS). It enables and The Science Operations well as ship surveillance (ESA users to process, visualize, and Center at Scripps Institution of 2017). This satellite has Synthetic analyze remote-sensing data on Oceanography, to daily transmit Aperture Radar sensors (SAR) the marine environment (e.g., real-time data, about the state of that provide high-resolution chlorophyll-a and sea surface the world’s coral reefs, back to images (20m) independent of temperature). Similarly, new Earth. The global baseline map weather conditions, and allow applications using Sentinel data to of coral reefs produced by the the identification of oil slicks protect sensitive ecosystems in the CRSM facilitated the discovery of due to the disruption of ocean Great Barrier Reef (Australia) were hidden reefs and changes to their backscatter. Ideally, SAR satellite unveiled. health. Additionally, the Planetary images are used to detect any While many of these advances Coral Reef Foundation (PCRF) is oil slick that can result from on oil spill detection for coral currently streaming via satellite illegal dumping, sabotage reef protection are promising, to classrooms and exhibition incidents, operational failures, there are still gaps that need to spaces worldwide, showing close etc. Combining SAR technology be filled. For instance, the current up images of what the satellite with an integrated environmental technology only allows users to cameras are detecting in coral modeling system can be used map coral reefs, inform about reefs from space. This information to remotely track and forecast changes in the environment is available to the general public the spill’s Fate, to ensure making around them and detect on- and images can be downloaded the required informed decisions site oil spills. To help better for free at www.pcrf.org. to safeguard people, assets, manage and protect the marine and the natural environment. environment and its resources, this Recent advances and applications The integration of these tools technology should be integrated on satellite technology have assists the surveillance activities with modelling capabilities that been targeted to detect marine of concerned environmental and allow for the prediction in real oil spills, due to the threat they governmental organizations. This time the direction of oil spills pose to the economy and the technological approaches can to anticipate our responses environment. For instance, potentially enable Saudi Aramco and minimize impacts. Saudi the satellite Sentinel has been to better respond to oil-spill Aramco has recently triggered launched for environmental incidents by providing an accurate monitoring, specifically for the establishment of in-house 14 Figure 2: World Meteorological Organization (8) environmental modeling 4. IMaRS-USF. 2005. Millennium capabilities, to improve and Coral Reef Mapping Project. enhance its modeling capabilities Institute for Marine Remote in both the Red Sea and the Sensing-University of South Arabian Gulf. This modelling will Florida. be ready for operation Company- wide by 2021. We are looking 5. NOAA Coral Reef Watch. forward to integrating these 2014. NOAA Coral Reef Watch modeling capabilities with SAR Version. College Park, Maryland, technology, as part of our oil spill USA: NOAA Coral Reef Watch. response capability. https://coralreefwatch.noaa. gov/vs/data.php. References 6. PCRF. 2012. Planetary Coral 1. Eakin et al. 2010. Monitoring Reef Foundation. https://www. coral reefs from space. pcrf.org/satellitemission.php. Oceanography, 23: 118-133. 7. Eyes in the sea: Unlocking the 2. NASA Earth Observatory. 2015. mysteries of the ocean using Exploring Reefs from Space. industrial, remotely operated NASA Goddard Space Flight vehicles (ROVs). Volume 634, Center. https://earthobservatory. September,1, 2018, Pages nasa.gov/images/86163/ 1077-1091.https://www. exploring-reefs-from-space. sciencedirect.com/science/ article/pii/S0048969718312063. 3. ESA. 2017. Sentinel-1 supports detection of illegal oil spills. 8. World Meteorological https://sentinel.esa.int/web/ Organization. https://public. sentinel/missions/sentinel-1/ wmo.int/en/programmes/global- news/-/article/sentinel-1- observing-system. supports-detection-of-illegal-oil- spills.

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16 D a e Hand washing prevents disease.

17 Environmental Protection Department Wash out D a A look at hand washing to prevent disease. James White & Tom Hullock, EPD

About 1.8 million children under of using enough soap to cover unclear, studies suggest that using e the age of 5 die each year from the whole surface of the hands a clean towel or air drying hands diarrheal diseases and pneumonia. cannot be stressed enough. are best. EPD requires all Company (Source: US Center for Disease facilities to provide hand driers or Hand washing prevents disease. Control) Saudi Aramco Environmental paper towels in all bathrooms and Health Code standards require food production areas. Although people around the that both hot and cold running world clean their hands with water must be provided for hand- By following these simple steps, water, very few use soap to wash washing basins. Oil and grease everyone can help to reduce their hands. Washing hands with become more liquid at higher preventable illness and make our soap removes germs much more temperatures and easier to mix homes and workplaces safer and effectively. Hand washing with with water, meaning they wash healthier. soap and clean running water off easier when the temperature is the most important way to of the water rises. To prevent prevent the spread of disease. This burns from otherwise scalding practice could protect about 1 out hot water, temperatures can be of every 3 young children who get thermostatically controlled or anti- sick with diarrhea. scald valves fitted to ensure that the temperature does not exceed Guidance from healthcare 49°C (120°F). professionals teaches us to rub our hands together in various ways It is also important to dry your to make sure the surface of each hands after washing. Germs can hand is clean. Hands should be be transferred more easily to and washed for at least 20 seconds in from wet hands. Although the warm water, while the importance best way to dry hands remains

How to wash your hands - according to the experts

washing your hands properly should take about as long as singing Happy Birthday twice (about 20 seconds). Wet hands and apply enough soap to cover the whole surface Rub palms together with Rub each palm over the back Rub between fingers on of the hand. fingers interlaced. of the other hand with each hand. interlaced fingers.

Dry your hands well with a disposable towel. Use a disposable towel to turn off the faucet if not hands free. Rub backs of fingers Rub around each Rub both palms with finger (interlocked). thumb tips and then rinse with warm water.

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In Depth

20 100,000 wild hectares: Saudi Aramco’s Biodiversity Protection Areas Christopher R. Boland, EPD

Map 1: Saudi Aramco contains patches of high-value biodiversity across its vast operating areas. To date, 18 sites have been assessed, and many more are likely to be uncovered in the next few years as surveys continue.

As a biologist working for Saudi the local ecosystem from have already identified 18 sites of Aramco, I’ve been lucky enough overgrazing, hunting, firewood high biodiversity value as of the to travel around much of this vast collection, and off-road driving. first quarter of 2019 (See Map), and surreal landscape to study and eight of these sites have its extraordinary desert-adapted The Environmental Protection been formally designated as Saudi plants and animals. Time and time Department is working closely Aramco Biodiversity Protection again, I keep finding that some of with numerous proponent Areas (as per SAEP-359). the best habitat in the Kingdom departments to identify the occurs on Company land, where highest priority patches of habitat From Shaybah in the south, to our fenced areas have protected on Company land. Together we Tanajib in the north, and from

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Abu Ali in the east to Abha in the Proponent: Ras Tanura D. Berri: A carpet of west, these eight protected areas Refinery Operations wildflowers 2 cover 900 km of habitat across a Department Habitat: Sandy-gravel desert diverse array of ecosystems. We Size: 18 km2 hope to designate three more sites Proponent: Berri Gas Plant by the end of 2019, bringing the Key species: Cakile arabica Department total area protected to more than (plant), Cheesman’s gerbil, Size: 5 km2 2 1,000 km of habitat dhub, Schismus arabicus Key species: Arabian toad- (plant), greater flamingo Below is a very brief snapshot headed agamid, dhub, of the exceptional diversity of Each year more than 150 lesser kestrel, Calligonum habitats that can be found across migrating bird species land on comosum (plant) Saudi Aramco’s vast operating Manifa’s beautiful coastline, sand Protected from over-grazing, areas. Travelling clockwise flats, coastal depressions, open firewood collection, and off- around the country, we start with plateaus, saltmarshes and sabkhah road driving for more than four Tanajib/Safaniyah. habitats, to share in its lush decades, Berri’s sandy-gravel environment of 41 plant species. desert terrain has patches of A. Tanajib/Safaniyah: A The site shelters six mammals, four thriving native vegetation, which shining coastal jewel reptiles, 54 bird species, and hosts shelter habitats for numerous Habitat: Gulf coast lowlands dhub lizards translocated from resident and migratory species. neighboring sites that were about Proponent: Safaniyah The land next to the site’s to be cleared for development. Onshore Producing operating infrastructure contains Department C. Abu Ali: Internationally- birds such as larks, shrikes, Size: 29 km2 recognized bird wheatears, and small wetland birds living in treated-wastewater Key species: desert truffles, sanctuary marshes, as well as numerous dhub, lesser crested Habitat: Gulf coast lowlands burrows of the globally vulnerable tern, Socotra cormorant, Proponent: Ras Tanura dhub. Zygophyllum qatarense Producing Department E. Rahima Bay Mangrove (plant) Size: 105 km2 Eco-Park: A marine nursery Sparkling gulf coastline, coastal Key species: Cheesman’s Habitat: Mangrove forest plains, and sabkhah habitats gerbil, Eurasian curlew, make up this outstanding eastern golden jackal, Schismus Proponent: Northern lowland site — a reminder of arabicus (plant) Area/Western Region what the Eastern Province once Community Services looked like. The area is densely Designated a globally Important Department covered with 32 plant species, and Bird Area by BirdLife International, Size: 60 km2 a habitat for eight small mammal within the fringes of Abu Ali species, five reptiles, and 48 birds. Island’s coastline, countless Key species: grey mangrove, The site is also a transitory haven butterflies flutter across dunes, dozens of fish and shrimp every year for dozens of coastal sandy flats, mangrove swamps, species, osprey, greater migratory bird species, which revel and crunchy and open plain flamingo in the area’s rich biodiversity. sabkhah. Thriving inside the varied terrain are 32 native plant species, At Rahima Bay Eco-park, old- B. Manifa: A migratory bird six mammals, two reptiles, 53 growth mangrove roots descend haven birds, and a yet-to-be surveyed into the intertidal mud, breathing Habitat: Gulf coast lowlands number of migratory bird species. fresh vitality into its air and water, nurturing life on the Kingdom’s

22 shores. Saudi Aramco is behind Sheltering in the heart of Well Completion Operations this mangrove Eco-park and Company headquarters is an Department is currently constructing an abundance of species living in the Size: 3.9 km2 educational visitors’ center and patch of jebels and sandy gullies mangrove boardwalk around its northwest of Peninsula Boulevard. Key species: Arabian toad- invaluable mangrove, saltmarsh An extraordinary 85 native plant headed agamid, long- and intertidal habitats. species — one of the Eastern legged buzzard, short-toed Province’s most floristically diverse snake-eagle, Zygophyllum F. Dhahran Jebels: sites — shares the area with at qatarense (plant) Extraordinary plant diversity least four mammals, three reptiles Habitat: Jebels and more than 60 birds, including Largely untouched, Shedgum’s striking gorges offer shade to a Size: 1.4 km2 five globally threatened and five endemic species. wide diversity of native flowering Key species: desert plants. This gravel escarpment hedgehog, Arabian toad- G. Shedgum Escarpment: habitat nurtures several endemic headed and yellow-spotted Gorgeous desert gorges plant species, an array of rock- agamid, Calligonum Habitat: Stony escarpment dwelling reptiles, mammals and birds, including nesting long- comosum (plant), desert and gorges legged buzzards, blackstart and truffles Proponent: Southern Area 23 Environmental Protection Department

rock dove. stunning wetland, and retreat for soils, creating a habitat for larks, K. Khurais: A stopover for more than 49 bird, 34 plant, four wheatears, and reptiles, including migrating birds mammal and six reptile species. dhub. The site includes the Kingdom’s Habitat: Sandy-rocky desert first two birdwatching hides. L. Shaybah Wildlife Proponent: Khurais Sanctuary: True wilderness Producing Department J. ‘Udhailiyah: Dhub Habitat: Sand seas dreamland Size: Currently 38 km2 to be Proponent: Shaybah enlarged to 68 km2 by 2020 Habitat: Sandy-gravel desert Producing Department Key species: Arabian jird, Proponent: Southern Area Size: 637 km2 Gas Producing Department Arabian red fox, Cape hare, Key species: Arabian oryx, 2 Cheesman’s gerbil, dhub, Size: 2.3 km Arabian sand gazelle, lesser jerboa Key species: dhub, Ephedra Arabian toad-headed alata (very rare plant) Life exists in surprising abundance agamid, golden eagle, in the classic desert habitat of The rare traditional medicinal ostrich Khurais. Migratory birds, on plant, Ephedra alata, absent from Protected within a 104-km long their epic global journey, visit the Eastern Province for 20 years, fence are 637 km2 of near- this remnant patch of shrubby is found at ‘Udhailiyah along with pristine Rub’ al-Khali wilderness dense vegetation, which grows 48 other native plant species, 35 containing 10 native plant, 13 among the dunes, gravel plains, birds, six mammals, and seven reptile, 18 mammal, and up and wetland. A refueling stop for reptiles, including a healthy to 176 bird species, including the Kingdom’s feathered guests, population of iconic dhub lizards 169 migratory species. The site Khurais sustains at least 42 birds, (which are listed as vulnerable to includes 10 Arabian endemic 22 plants, seven mammals, and extinction within our lifetime). species, 39 of Saudi Arabia’s 50 three reptile species, including the ‘Udhailiyah has installed the high conservation priority species, vulnerable dhub lizard. world’s first “Slow Down: Dhub and 13 regionally threatened Crossing” road signs. I. Abqaiq Wetlands Eco-Park: species. Thanks to Saudi Aramco, An oasis in the desert K. Haradh: Small mammals this true wilderness now contains three reintroduced iconic species abound Habitat: Wetlands that were once on the brink of Proponent: Southern Area Habitat: Sandy-gravel desert extinction: Arabian oryx, Arabian Oil Operations Proponent: Haradh Gas Plant sand gazelles, and ostriches. 2 Department Size: 2.5 km M. Riyadh: A haven in the 2 Key species: Arabian toad- Size: 8.3 km capital headed agama, Arabian Key species: Acacia tortilis, Habitat: Limestone hills and red fox, desert hedgehog, Arabian red fox, Cheesman’s escarpment Socotra cormorant gerbil, dhub, lesser jerboa Proponent: Central Region A charming sanctuary of wetlands, Mature acacia tree provide shade Distribution Department sand dunes, and planted tree belt among the intermittent wadis Size: 53 km2 rests in the western shadow of within Haradh’s open plains, Key species: Arabian short- Abqaiq’s oil processing facilities. roamed by small mammals, such Among dense thickets of reeds, as jird, gerbil and jerboa. Naturally fingered gecko, dhub, tertiary treated wastewater tops low vegetation covers the site’s Arabian red fox, Arabian up a naturally-exposed portion compact gravel, sandy and clay lark, Arabian green bee- of an ancient aquifer, forming a eater 24 Flowering native plants and large Crossing Saudi Arabia from east and foothills mature acacia trees flourish on to west, the 1,200-km-long and Proponent: Western Region attractive limestone hills and a 400-m-wide pipeline corridor Distribution Department gravel escarpment, creating a comprises patches representing 2 beautiful home for reptiles, small most of the Kingdom’s habitats Size: 47 km mammals, and an estimated 80 — eastern coastal lowlands, Ad Key species: Arabian bird species, which includes the Dahna sand seas, central plains, babbler, Arabian green bee- sand partridge, wheatears, larks, rocky escarpment, highlands, eater, Arabian lark, Arabian eagles and buzzards. and the Western Tihama coastal short-fingered gecko, plains. Each patch supports its Arabian spiny mouse N. Qassim: Acacia filled own treasure of native plants and wadis animals, as well as archaeological Bahrah’s near-pristine mountains, Habitat: Stony escarpment and cultural gems. wadis, and sandstone habitats and wadis is the Kingdom’s most intact P. Abha: Pristine alpine biodiversity area within close Proponent: Central Region majesty proximity to Jiddah. Surveys Distribution Department Habitat: Southwest have identified 35 plant species, 2 Size: 34 km highlands five mammals, 31 birds and five reptiles, including six high Key species: Arabian green Proponent: Western Region conservation priority species, and bee-eater, Arabian lark, Distribution Department cinereous vulture, honey 10 regionally endemic species. Size: 49 km2 badger, pharaoh eagle-owl More than 100 species of bird Key species: Arabian are estimated to use the site Rising within Qassim’s magnificent sunbird, Philby’s partridge, throughout the year, which also stony, rolling hillsides are acacia- Anderson’s blue agama, contains archaeological and filled wadis, and a wide diversity crested porcupine, steppe cultural value. of native flowering plants. eagle Preliminary surveys show the R. Madinah: Inspiring tree- area proliferates with reptiles, One of the world’s 36 endemic filled wadis small mammals, and birds, such biodiversity hotpots, the Asir Habitat: Southwest as blackstart, sand partridge and Mountains is a beautiful, near- Highlands wheatears, with an estimated pristine wilderness. Surveys reveal Proponent: Western Region 80–100 species of bird are likely to the Company’s site contains a Distribution Department use the site throughout the year. minimum of 37 plant species, 2 18 mammals, 61 birds and six Size: 27 km O. East-West Pipeline: A reptiles, including 23 of the Key species: Arabian lark, transect of the Kingdom’s 50 species listed by the Saudi Arabian short-fingered diversity government as high conservation gecko, Arabian spiny mouse, Habitat: Diverse priority nationally, four Nubian ibex, rock hyrax Proponent: East-West internationally threatened species, and 10 regionally endemic species. With its impressive acacia-rich Pipelines Department This is perhaps the best habitat mountains and wadis, Madinah Size: To be determined in the world for the rare Philby’s shelters a habitat of 39 plant Key species: Arabian lark, partridge. species, eight native mammals, Arabian green bee-eater, 34 birds and four reptiles. This Q. Bahrah: A patch of Arabian partridge, Cape list includes nine nationally high exceptional value hare, dhub, Nubian ibex conservation priority species, five Habitat: Sandstone wadis regionally endemic species, as well

25 Environmental Protection Department

(Photo Source: Saudi Aramco) as eight migratory bird species. demonstrate that biodiversity • Photo 3: Over 85 species of The site, which also contains and oil and gas operations can plants have been recorded in archaeological and cultural values, occur side by side and hand in Dhahran Jebels alone, including is used by an estimated 100 bird hand. This is something that Saudi beautiful endemic species such species throughout the year. Aramco can be extremely proud as this Cakile arabica of. Conclusions • Photo 4: Over 30 mammal Captions: species have been recorded As a result of these patches of within Saudi Aramco high quality habitat, I have been • Photo 1: Saudi Aramco Biodiversity Protection Areas, able to identify and record over Biodiversity Protection Areas which represents more than 500 species of birds, reptiles, contain at least 55 endemic a third of all of the terrestrial mammals, butterflies and plants species or subspecies (that is mammals in the Kingdom. within our communities, operating plants and animals that are The most commonly recorded areas, and reservations. Many found only in the Arabian mammal species is the Arabian of these species are globally Peninsula), such as this Arabian Red Fox. endangered; others are highly Toad-headed Agama at migratory, flying 15,000 km or Shaybah (Photo: Chris Boland) • Photo 5: Numerous threatened more to forage at Company- species occur in Saudi Aramco protected areas; some occur • Photo 2: Abha SSSP contains Biodiversity protection areas, in Arabia and nowhere else on exceptional biodiversity, such such as the iconic Dhub lizard. earth – and all of them need our as this Philby’s Partridge, which Sadly, this amazing animal ongoing stewardship. occurs in Saudi Arabia and is formally listed as being Yemen and nowhere else on vulnerable to extinction. These protected areas earth.

26 Japan’s Waste to Energy experience A viable waste management and renewable opportunity Abdullah Al-Duaiji (Environmental Protection Department), Abdulaziz Al-Salem (New Business Development) and Abdulrahman Al-Abdulkarim (Industrial Development & Strategic Supply Department)

Addressing proper waste-disposal needs is a huge challenge worldwide, which includes surpassing landfill capacity and Food een dealing with negative health and aeadoad the environmental impacts when lasti waste is not properly managed. lass According to a World Bank report Metal in 2018, by 2050, the earth is Wood expected to generate 3.40 billion e eathe tons of municipal waste annually, increasing an eye-catching 68% from the 2.02 billion tons generated in 2018 (Figure 1). Figure 2: Main Types of Municipal Waste Different types of municipal waste are illustrated in Figure 2. [1] Waste Management in Japan areas, rivers, and in the ocean, which resulted in negative health Japan has experienced the and environmental impacts. This same waste-management problem prompted the country to issues now facing developing take immediate actions to cope countries. The country used to with the waste-management

lack the infrastructure of proper pitfalls that had evolved over the years. The country exerted efforts collecting, sorting, transporting and treating waste. Between to elevate the environmental 1945 and 1950, waste generation and health conditions, which increased drastically due to were the turning point in Japan’s robust economic and population environmental policy. growth after World War II. [2] Currently, Japan is a global Yet due to the lack of waste- leader in the area of waste Figure 1: Global Municipal Waste management infrastructure, management. Environmental Generation Rate waste began to pile up in open regulations there are governed

27 Environmental Protection Department

Figure 3: Waste to Energy Process [3] nationally by the Ministry of An Overview of WtE At an initial stage, waste enters Environment and on a state level. an enclosed receiving area, Each Japanese prefecture runs its Meeting the rising demand for where it is thoroughly mixed own environmental regulations, energy worldwide constitutes a in preparation for combustion. while complying with national big challenge for all countries, The mixed waste then enters a environmental regulations at the and waste can play an important combustion chamber at a very same time. The Clean Authority of role here. With a high content high temperature to assure that Tokyo is the waste-management of British Thermal Units (BTU), waste burns completely. Different governor of 23 municipalities in waste can be a reliable renewable available technologies other Tokyo Prefecture. Tokyo classifies energy source through WtE, an than combustion can be used waste into combustible and environmentally-friendly process such as gasification. The heat incombustible categories to ensure of generating energy from that results from the combustion that all waste types are managed burning waste. Burning municipal chamber will boil water into steam efficiently. Combustible waste is solid waste can reduce the volume to drive a turbine to generate directly transferred to Waste to of waste by about 87 percent. energy in the form of electricity. Energy (WtE) plants, while the [3] Energy can be created in the Following strict controls is crucial incombustible waste is transferred form of heat or electricity, based for the WtE, as the entire process to waste-processing centers for on either producing combustible must be managed to optimize reuse and recycle applications [2]. gases (such as methane, hydrogen combustion’s efficiency and and carbon monoxide) or heating environmental factors. water to generate steam to run a turbine. Besides generating power, the

28 WtE process can reduce waste generated wastes from industrial emissions by 5,000 tons annually volume by up to 90 percent, operations into useable sources of by producing a green source of where some of the remaining ash, energy. energy. [5] deemed not hazardous, can be used for other applications. Biogas Power Generation DOWA Industrial Waste to from Food Waste: Energy Facility Japan WtE Facilities Site Visits Tokyo Prefecture has built an DOWA Holdings owns and industrial town, a so-called Super operate the largest Industrial WtE Developed countries are adopting Eco-Town, complete with an plant in Japan. The plant has a this trend of converting waste into intermediate waste-management capacity of processing more than energy, Japan especially. In Japan facility for non-hazardous waste. 800 tons of industrial waste per alone there are more than 700 The main types of waste received day. Different types of industrial WtE plants. [4] Converting WtE include construction waste, food waste including sludge, waste in Japan is technologically and waste, and contaminated soil oil, acids and other industrial environmentally advanced, as the waste. (Note: Total throughput types of waste treated at the country is deploying different WtE and official capacity terms were plant and converted to a useful technologies in its facilities, mainly not disclosed). source of energy [7]. Capacity incineration and gasification and production terms were not technologies. A biogas power-generation plant disclosed. receives food waste from all over Representatives fromSaudi Tokyo. Food waste is converted The plant process layout is shown Aramco organizations and the into biogas, a sustainable source in Figure 5. The industrial waste, Saudi government have visited of energy, through a methane with high-energy density, is WtE facilities to witness onsite fermentation process (Figure received first into a pretreated Japan’s experience. The tour 4). The process will biologically area where waste stored in drums included visits to different types decompose the biomass into are shredded. This process ensures of facilities, two of which will be methane under anaerobic complete thermal exposure of discussed in this article. conditions. The plant is capable waste in the incineration stage. of generating approximately Promoting WtE to divert Saudi- 26,000kWh of power, the At the incineration stage, the Aramco-generated waste from equivalent to supply electricity for rotary kiln incinerator burns the landfills to usable energy where about 2,600 households per day pretreated waste completely. feasible, is something the in Japan. In addition, the plant The waste is combusted at a low Company is taking very seriously. effectively reduces carbon dioxide temperature to assure minimal generation of harmful emissions. BI-10-01709, an “Integrated However, any produced gases Municipal Waste Management are treated further through Facility (IMWMF)” was approved several filtration stages prior to oes osehold ood by upper management. The release into the atmosphere. The project will consist of a WtE ehiles aste and seae Slies flare stack is closely monitored ome complex along with other to assure the facility release facilities, including a material minimum amounts of gas. recovery facility, a composting ioas oides The heat that results from the facility, and an engineered landfill. eat oessed y oded anaeoi incineration chamber boils the aded diestion at water into steam, to drive a Currently, New Business sae os Development (NBD) and EPD turbine to generate energy in the are assessing the feasibility form of electricity. The generated of converting Saudi Aramco’s Figure 4: Biogas Energy Cycle [5] electricity is then used according

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Solid Waste). (2017, March 20). Retrieved from https://www.eia. gov/energyexplained/index.cfm/ data/index.cfm?page=biomass_ waste_to_energy 4. 2018 Japan Energy from Waste Infrastructure Study Tour. (2017, October 23). Retrieved from http://www. jacksonenvironment.com. au/2018-japan-energy-waste- infrastructure-study-tour/ 5. Tokyo Super Eco Town Project Outline (Rep.). (n.d.). Retrieved http://www.kankyo.metro. tokyo.jp/resource/recycle/super_ eco_town/super_eco_town.files/ outline.pdf 6. Mapstone, A. (2017, Figure 5: DOWA Waste to Energy Process Layout [7] December 11). Biomethane. Retrieved from http://www. to plan, while excess power is sold Saudi Aramco will continue geneco.uk.com/Our_services/ to the local electricity company. to study the feasibility of the Biomethane/ WtE opportunity to achieve WtE in Saudi Arabia environmental sustainability, by 7. DOWA Holdings. (n.d.). DOWA Every year, Saudi Arabia increasing the efficiency of waste Eco-System Chiba Co.,Ltd. generates 15 million tons of management. [Company Profile]. waste streams such as municipal 8. Nizami, A. (2015, November solid waste (MSW), used tires, 10). Recycling and Waste- sewage sludge, and waste oil, References to-Energy Prospects in Saudi among other sources. [8] These 1. Kaza, Silpa, Yao, Lisa C., Arabia. Retrieved from http:// quantities could make meaningful www.bioenergyconsult.com/ contributions to the Kingdom’s B., Perinaz, Woerden, V., & Frank. (2018, September recycling-waste-to-energy- energy resources, especially saudi-arabia/ as attention is paid to proper 20). What a Waste 2.0. waste-management continues to Retrieved from https:// increase in the Kingdom. Proper openknowledge.worldbank.org/ waste management now forms handle/10986/30317 part of Saudi Arabia’s 2030 2. History and Current State vision. The country is targeting of Waste Management in increasing the efficiency of waste Japan (Rep.). (2014, February). management through establishing Retrieved https://www.env. comprehensive recycling projects, go.jp/en/recycle/smcs/attach/ reducing all types of pollution, hcswm.pdf and diverting waste into a useful source of energy. 3. Waste-to-Energy (Municipal

30 31 Environmental Protection Department

In Focus

32 Petroenvironment 2019, occupational and environmental Industrial Investments Company the 9th Symposium and health, and other environmental (Dussur). EPD organized technical Exhibition on Environmental topics. The associated exhibition content from all Company and Progress in the Petroleum consists of 45 companies Kingdom participants to ensure and Petrochemical Industry focusing on innovative solutions, that all relevant material was technological advancements, properly displayed in the event’s EPD chaired PetroEnvironment sharing best practices and showcase pavilion. EPD also 2019 organized by Environmental fostering partnerships among contributed by delivering two (2) Technology Management various stakeholders to address of its own showcases: biodiversity Association (ETMA) in Al-Khobar environmental challenges and initiatives as well as efforts related from Feb. 19-21, 2019. The event support sustainability objectives. to air quality and flaring reduction. was inaugurated by His Royal Attendance at the conference Furthermore, EPD facilitated side- Highness, Prince Saud bin Naif was higher than any previous event presentations, coordinated bin Abdulaziz Al-Saud, Governor PetroEnvironment, with more than technical guidance for moderators of the Eastern Province, and 1,500 visitors — from roughly 28 and presenters and participated was supported and principally countries representing industries, with the media team to develop sponsored by Saudi Aramco. academia, and the public and verify the accuracy of The theme of PetroEnvironment sector — touring the exhibition. infographics and other visual 2019 symposium was “Innovative aids on display at the venue. EPD Technologies for Environmental representatives coordinated with Sustainability,” highlighting the EPD Arranges Company, various SMEs to field questions importance of environmental Kingdom Stewardship from pavilion visitors. and sustainability issues in the Messaging Efforts at Abu upstream and downstream Dhabi Sustainability Week sectors. PetroEnvironment 2019 EPD Raises Biodiversity offered six interactive pre- EPD collaborated with multiple Awareness at Riyadh Scouts symposium workshops attended Saudi Aramco and external Association Conference by more than 125 delegates stakeholders to convey the EPD representatives showcased from Aramco, other industries Company’s and Kingdom’s Saudi Aramco’s environmental and government agencies. The efforts to reduce environmental success stories involving the symposium program included footprints at Abu Dhabi Shaybah Wildlife Sanctuary and more than 115 technical Sustainability Week (ADSW the Mangrove Seed-Planting presentations and posters in 2019) on Jan. 14-17, 2019. This Initiative to participants at the addition to student entries. The year, EPD, in addition to other “Scouting and Environmental technical presentations discussed Saudi Aramco organizations, Protection” conference organized various environmental areas collaborated with the Ministry by the Saudi Arabian Scouts of significant importance to of Energy, Industry and Mineral Association in Riyadh on Feb. 12– the region and the petroleum Resources (MEIM), and other 13, 2019, and inaugurated and petrochemical industries private and public stakeholders, by Deputy Education Minister, such as climate change and including SABIC, SEC, KACARE, Dr. Abdulrahman Alasimi. the implications of the Paris King Abdulaziz City for Science EPD’s participation included agreement, water conservation and Technology (KACST), the a presentation delivered by and wastewater management, Renewable Energy Project Dr. Abdullah Alsuhaibany on air pollution monitoring and Development Office (REPDO), Company efforts to protect control, biodiversity conservation, KAPSARC, the Royal Commission and enhance the Kingdom’s marine protection, economic for Jubail & Yanbu’, MODON, biodiversity. Furthermore, a booth valuation of natural ecosystems Saudi Industrial Development manned by Muayad Aaraj, of meteorological molding, Fund (SIDF) and the Kingdom’s

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Photo 1: HRH Prince Saud bin Naif bin Abdulaziz Al-Saud receives recognition from PetroEnvironment 2019 Chairman, Dr. Omar Abdulhamid. (Photo Source: Saudi Aramco)

EPD’s Environmental Awareness from the atmosphere. National EPD Hosts 29th Group, highlighted success and international scouting Environmental Stewardship stories at the Shaybah Wildlife organizations were present to Workshop Sanctuary and the Mangrove support environmental best Seed-Planting Initiative, the latter practices and introduce their own EPD conducted its 29th of which will absorb noteworthy initiatives at the event. Environmental Stewardship amounts of carbon dioxide Workshop on Feb. 27, 2019,

34 which was attended by around among newly hired employees attending the Assembly and ninety (90) leaders, including in various stewardship sessions related events. During the closing Project Managers, Division that highlight efforts to protect plenary, UNEA-4 adopted 29 Heads, Supervisors and Foremen the environment. Some 180 resolutions calling for accelerated from various Saudi Aramco participants attended. actions, policies and strengthened departments. The workshop partnerships on environmental covered a wide range of EPD Conducts Special governance; ecosystems and Environmental & Health (E&H) Session for Environmental biodiversity management and topics, including enhancing Coordinators Development protection; innovative solutions compliance programs (i.e., EPA, Program for environmental challenges, CEHA, OHHA, RPA, etc.) as well chemicals and waste and many as waste management, climate EPD conducted a special others. The team has successfully change & international policy and session for the Environmental prevented the adoption of technology. The workshop also Coordinators Development the Ministerial Declaration included two (2) open discussion Program on March 17, 2019 requesting to reduce pollutants sessions that invited attendees to address current training through decreasing investments to address concerns and share delays and 56 Environmental in fossil fuels, while supporting success stories. It should be noted Coordinators (ECs) attended this the adoption of a technology that the workshop is counted as session. This two-week course is approach. The team managed to official training towards attendees’ delivered by EPD SMEs and was change the calling of “phasing training history. To date, over designed to specifically address out single-use plastics by 2025” to 1,151 of Saudi Aramco’s chief the work tasks ECs are expected “reduce.” Also, EPD representative position holders have participated to perform in their daily work. The has successfully changed the in Environmental Stewardship program’s goal is to provide ECs resolution originally titled Workshops, which take place once with the confidence, the skills and “Clean and Electric Mobility” to a year. the tools to help them succeed “Sustainable mobility” including in their position in addition to full life-cycle assessment and th EPD Participates In 20 Saudi serving as a means to enhance efficient combustion engines. This Aramco Talent Essentials young employees’ business resolution was focusing solely on Program acumen development. electric mobility and referring to policies on air travel and biofuels. In collaboration with the EPD Attends Fourth UN EPD’s participation forms part of Academic Programs & Partnerships Environment Assembly the company’s strategy to support Department and as part of its of the UN Environment the Kingdom in technical and talent development efforts, EPD Programme negotiating capacities to ensure participated in the 20th Cohort Saudi Arabia’s interests remain of the Saudi Aramco Talent EPD representatives attended the th protected in multilateral arenas Essentials Program (STEP) on 4 United Nations Environment and minimized TCR-2 TCR-10 risks March 7, 2019. EPD subject Assembly of the United Nations consequences. matter experts delivered a series Environment Programme (UNEA- of topics covering an overview of 4) that took place from 04-15 EPD Represents Kingdom March 2019 at the UN Offices its functions including its Mission at UN Sustainable at Nairobi (UNON), Kenya. The & Vision, Compliance Programs Development Meeting with more emphasis on radiation, conference attracted a record wastewater management number of participants, with five An EPD representative attended and water conservation. This Heads of State and Government, the High-Level Meeting on the interactive component delivered 157 ministers and deputy Protection of the Global Climate by EPD specialists helps to ministers, and almost 5,000 for Present & Future Generations enhance environmental awareness participants from 179 countries of Humankind in the Context 35 Environmental Protection Department

Abdullah Tawlah, of EPD, represents Saudi Arabia at UNEA-4 in Nairobi, Kenya. (Photo Source: IISD Media Library) of the Economic, Social and and other venues. Many themes Enhanced Recycling Environmental Dimensions of the were discussed during the leaders’ Program Mulled for Central 2030 Agenda for Sustainable roundtables such as energy Community Services Development, from March 28- transition, industry transition, Department 29, 2019, at the United Nations climate finance and carbon Headquarters, New York. The pricing. Both Saudi Arabia’s and In line with the corporate meeting’s objective was to Saudi Aramco’s interests were directions to enhance the bridge and align multiple UN successfully expressed by the EPD Company’s plastic recycling climate platforms, such as those representative and were included program, a meeting was held associated with COP24 in Poland in the Presidential Summary of the with Central Community Services and in advance of COP25 in Chile High-Level Meeting. Department (CCSD), Almutawa in coordination with UNFCCC waste collection Co. and Seraj

36 plastic recycling Co. to explore area and has particularly high EPD Participated in the 4th extending support and technical aesthetic value. EPD developed International Ocean Colour collaboration in this area. During a site-specific Biodiversity Action Science (IOCS) Meeting the encounter, EPD representatives Plan, which was endorsed by captured and highlighted a During the IOCS conference both WRDD and EPD Managers number of opportunities to in South Korea, the National enhance the plastic waste to further protect the site’s high Aeronautics and Space collection, transportation and value biodiversity. Abha SSSP Administration (NASA) provided recycling. EPD will continue is now the eighth site formally a workshop on its latest open supporting CCSD to enhance the designated as a Company source software (SeaDAS) which recycling program by assessing Biodiversity Protection Area since enables users to process, visualize, and analyze remote-sensing data their waste recycling vendors. 2012, bringing the total area The successful enhancement to on the marine environment (e.g., protected to 900 km2. EPD has the plastic recycling program will chlorophyll-a and sea surface create numerous environmental proposed to designate Medina temperature). Similarly, new benefits such as energy savings, SSSP and Bahra SSSP as BPAs in applications using the Sentinel natural resources conservation, 2019. satellite data to protect sensitive limiting pollution and generating ecosystems such as the Great Barrier Reef from oil spills impacts economical value. EPD Biodiversity Research were unveiled. However, for better Published in a Scientific management and protection of Biodiversity Protection Area Journal the marine environment and its Designated at Abha SSSP resources, this technology needs A manuscript authored by EPD EPD and WRDD have partnered to to be integrated with modelling scientists has been published capabilities that allow us to predict designate Abha SSSP as a Saudi in a peer-reviewed journal of Aramco Biodiversity Protection in real time the direction of spills ornithology. The manuscript to anticipate our response and Area. The 45 km2 site now provides genetic evidence that minimize impacts. Saudi Aramco protects an extraordinary array of confirms the identity of a unique has been recently working native biodiversity, including over subspecies of small, mangrove- to enhance their modeling 61 birds, 37 Plants, 18 Mammals, capabilities in both Red Sea and dwelling bird (Mangrove Reed- and 6 reptile species. The site Arabian Gulf with the installation warbler) along the Red Sea coast contains no less than 24% of of surface current mapping of Saudi Arabia. The manuscript all of Saudi Arabia’s terrestrial systems (CODAR), and will play a will appear in the next edition of role in the development of future mammal species, 23 species listed the journal, Zoology of the Middle technology aiming to fills the as nationally High Conservation East. The research provides a aforementioned gaps. Priority, 16 endemic or near useful contribution to biodiversity endemic species, 12 migratory awareness in the region, highlights species, and two internationally EPD Participation in the 2019 the importance of protecting threatened species. This is one Downstream Global HSE the natural environment, and Forum of the most important sites for helps to position EPD as credible biodiversity in the Kingdom. The EPD participated at the 2019 experts in biodiversity protection, site contains significant ecological Downstream Global HSE Forum by thus reflecting positively on the features that are declining in their delivering two presentations about Company’s reputation. range, and plays a critical role in Waste to Energy and Corporate Greenhouse Gas Emissions the ecological functioning of the Management Program (GEMP).

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GEMP presentation highlighted biodiversity and create attractive the door to different flexibility the program objectives and shaded areas. aspects to avoid overburdening discussed the company’s seven or interfering with the Kingdom’s strategies that positioned the national policies. EPD Participates in IMO’s company among the lowest carbon intensities. While the Marine Environment Saudi Aramco First waste to energy presentation shed Protection Committee light on Saudi Aramco efforts to (MEPC) Engagement Meeting with Sabic on Plastic Recycling divert Company generated waste EPD representatives along with from landfills to usable source Kingdom officials from PTA, EPD representatives met with of energy. The presentations MEIM, GAMEP and MAWANI SABIC’s Technology & Corporate were interactive and brought up participated in the International Sustainability team at SABIC environmental discussion related Maritime Organization‘s (IMO) head quarter building in Riyadh to downstream and joint ventures Marine Environment Protection to discuss potential area of operations. Committee, 74th session (MEPC collaboration on plastic recycling 74) and the 5th intersessional and other waste management EPD Raises Environmental meeting of the Working Group programs. SA explored attractive Awareness on Earth Day on Reduction of GHG Emissions opportunities for plastic waste under SRP-4 and the Non-Metallic 2019 from Ships. Both meetings took place at the IMO’s headquarters corporate initiatives. During the meeting, SABIC has shared their EPD raised cognizance in London on May 7-17, 2019. efforts in plastic recycling and surrounding the Company’s efforts EPD representatives spearheaded circular economy to address the to protect the environment to several agenda items designed to issue of plastic waste. The team coincide with Earth Day, a global address an equitable reduction demonstrated SABIC expertise awareness platform observed of GHG emissions from ships in mechanical and chemical every year on April 22. For as well as global Sulphur-limit recycling of plastic waste. SABIC 2019, EPD posted awareness regulations. Key elements will implement a project for the videos on the Company’s Twitter championed by the Saudi team chemical recycling of challenging account showcasing EPD’s addressed socio-economic impacts plastic waste with plastic energy efforts to protect Saudi Arabia’s from new norms and lifecycle Ltd to convert plastic waste, biodiversity, combat desertification aspects for all types of fuels in destined for landfilling, back to and promote technology and ways that will best serve the its original polymer raw material innovation in global climate- Kingdom’s economic interests. state. SABIC is also partnering change arenas to reduce the Supported by other countries, with local private and government country’s environmental footprint. Saudi Arabia also succeeded in entities to raise awareness about Other Earth Day activities included deterring the establishment of plastic waste recycling in the the publishing of an article in a sub-committee on reduction Kingdom. In addition, SABIC EPD’s Green Matters column of GHG emissions from ships, highlighted their role as a member appearing in The Arabian Sun. which lessens the socio-economic of the “Alliance to End Plastic True to the 2019 Earth Day theme impacts on oil-producing countries Waste” and founding member calling for the need to “Protect from early implementation stages for “World Plastics Council.” Our Species,” the April Green of the IMO GHG Strategy. In The teams agreed to synergize Matters article highlighted Saudi addition, the Saudi delegation efforts in addressing the plastic Aramco’s plans to plant 1 million succeeded in preventing a global issue tackled by both companies native trees across the Kingdom implementation of a compulsory for the short- and long-term to combat desertification, licensing scheme for fuel oil environmental sustainable sequester carbon, enhance native suppliers. The overall outcome of the meetings also opened approaches.

38 39 Environmental Protection Department

Congratulations

40 Excellence Award for Greenhouse Gas Emissions

ManagementSeraj S. Al-Ghamdi, EPD Program

Photo 1: Mr. Amin H. Nasser, Saudi Aramco President & CEO, third from left, recognizes EPD’s Air Quality Team for its efforts to reduce GHG emissions. Representing EPD from left are Khalid A. Al-Binali, Humoud W. Al-Utaibi (EPD Environmental Engineering General Supervisor), and to Mr. Nasser’s right are of Ioannis Alexiou, Nadeem Ahmedkhan and Asad F. Al-Sowayeh. (Photo Source: Saudi Aramco)

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EPD’s Air Quality & Meteorology verification of Saudi Aramco’s EPD Honors Six Departments Unit was recognized for their work greenhouse gas data and at the 2019 President’s in Greenhouse Gas Management processes. Excellence Award Ceremony at the 2019 Saudi Aramco Maintaining a low carbon Excellence Awards on March 13, By Forrest Jones, EPD intensity is not only aligned with 2019, in the presence of the Saudi our environmental policy to EPD co-hosted the annual Aramco Board of Directors, and protect the fragile environment President’s Excellence Awards on members of senior management. and the communities where we April 18, 2019. The ceremony The award recognizes individuals operate, it is also compatible took place in collaboration with and teams who make significant with the Kingdom’s sustainable the Loss Prevention Department, new achievements such as development objectives to achieve Maintenance & Reliability creating new technologies, its commitments to reduce carbon Department, Management systems, or business solutions dioxide emissions by 2030. Professional & Developmental that are game changers for the Department, Operational industry. Excellence Department, Joint Ventures and Corporate Affairs. Saudi Aramco’s strong During the event six departments commitment to environmental were recognized for their superior best practices has positioned performance in protecting the the Company as a leader environment and community among international oil and and worker health in 2018. For gas companies. This reputation that year and in addition to the enjoyed a significant boosted by traditional Facility Environmental a recent EPD initiative to improve Performance parameters, a the monitoring of the Company’s new award category, Excellence emissions of greenhouse gases. in Greenhouse Gas (GHG) Because of this initiative, Saudi Management, was established to Aramco’s decades of good recognize organizations for their environmental practices are now performance in this space, which recognized globally. supports the Company’s efforts to reduce emissions. The winners A third-party verification of the for Operating Organizations were Company’s greenhouse gas Berri Gas Plant Department for the data has affirmed that Saudi 1st place and Ras Tanura Refinery Aramco is an industry leader for the Continuous Improvement. in carbon intensity among its Southern Area Well Completion international oil and gas industry Operations Department was the peers. The key enabler of this winner for Service Organizations. success story is an initiative called The winners for Excellence in the Greenhouse Gas Emissions GHG Management were Haradh Management Program, which Gas Plant Department for Gas includes a comprehensive Leak Operations, Safaniyah Offshore Detection and Repair (LDAR) Producing Department for Oil program, engagement in the Operations and Yanbu’ NGL Oil and Gas Climate Initiative Fractionation Department for (OGCI), the establishment of a Photo 2: The GHG Excellence Refining & NGL. corporate greenhouse gas key Award. (Photo Source: Saudi performance indicator, and laying Aramco) ENVIRONMENTAL the groundwork for a third-party PROTECTION DEPARTMENT 42 Photo 1: Berri Gas Plant Department, Winner, Best Performing Operating Organization. Department Manager Khalid A. Al Harthi accepts the award. (Photo Source: Saudi Aramco)

Photo 3: Southern Area Well Completion Operations Department, Winner, Best Performing Services Organization. Department Manager Nayef Al Shammari accepts the award. (Photo Source: Saudi Aramco)

Photo 5: Best in GHG Management for Oil Operations: Safaniyah Offshore Producing Department. Department Manager Abdullah Al Qahtani accepts the award. (Photo Source: Saudi Aramco)

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Photo 2: Ras Tanura Refinery, Winner, Continuous Improvement Operating Organization. Department Manager Khalid Al Hamid accepts the award. (Photo Source: Saudi Aramco)

Photo 4: Best in GHG Management for Gas Operations: Haradh Gas Plant. Department Manager Tariq Al Turairi accepts the award. (Photo Source: Saudi Aramco)

Photo 6: Best in GHG Management for Refining & NGL: Yanbu’ NGL Fractionation Department. Department Manager Mohammed S. Al-Ghamdi accepts the award. (Photo Source: Saudi Aramco)

44 regard with which the regulatory reports and a professional peer body has for him,” said Saleh Y. review interview at the CIEH Al-Qahtani, Division Head of EPD’s headquarters in London. Hassan Workplace Environmental Division, passed his professional exams, which houses the Radiation PPP and professional interview on Protection Unit. his first attempts, thus obtaining a number of distinctions. By “Achieving certification of this becoming certified, Hassan is not level is no easy feat, and it will only the first young Saudi national open the door for Abdullah to obtain this internationally to provide consultations to recognized professional government officials regarding certification, but he is also the first national radiation protection within the GCC to hold this honor. procedures and contribute to high-level forums and Abdullah Otaibi workshops.” As a Qualified (EPD) Employee Certified Expert, Abdullah attended the as a Qualified Expert in the first national workshop on the Field of Industrial Radiation application of general instructions Protection Services for radiation protection hosted by the NRRC. This event also included By Forrest Jones, EPD the cooperation of officials from the International Atomic Energy Abdullah Otaibi, of EPD’s Agency (IAEA). Radiation Protection Unit, was recently recognized and certified EPD Employee Becomes First by the Kingdom’s Nuclear Saudi National to Obtain & Radiological Regulatory Internationally Recognized Commission (NRRC) as a Qualified Environmental Health Expert in the field of industrial Certification radiation protection services. By Jason Hall, EPD Abdullah becomes one of Hassan Alzain only 20 highly recognized and EPD employee Hassan Alzain of accomplished specialists within the department’s Environmental Fourteen (14) Employees the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia to Health Unit has obtained Obtain Qualified be granted the title of Qualified professional certification with Environmental Professional Expert. This accomplishment the U.K. Chartered Institute of Certification recognizes Abdullah’s extensive Environmental Health (CIEH). expertise and accomplishments in Following completion of his By Seraj S. Al-Ghamdi, EPD the areas of radiation protection, BSc in Environmental Health A total of fourteen (14) nuclear gauges, industrial Studies at Liverpool John Moores environmental professionals, radiography and regulatory University in the U.K., where he including EPD engineers and matters. obtained a First-Class Honors scientists as well as Environmental Degree, Hassan successfully Coordinators, completed the “This certification is testament obtained professional certification required preparatory courses/ to Abdullah’s dedication and by submitting and passing exams to become certified diligence in the performance of 25 Portfolio of Professional as Qualified Environmental his work and underscores the high Practice (PPP) reflective learning Professionals (QEP) during 2019. 45 Environmental Protection Department

Photo 3: Saudi Aramco environmental professionals during a preparatory course. (Photo Source: Saudi Aramco)

The following lists those area such as air quality, water agency, academia and consulting. employees who certified as QEP: quality, waste management or The IPEP awards approximately 50 other areas in environmental certifications annually. According No. Name science, management and to IPEP, Saudi Aramco leads the 1 Abdu Naser M. Shhub policy. The QEP is the first and top ten companies worldwide 2 Areeb R. Khan only international credential with the most qualified members. of its kind. It is a multimedia, 3 Bruno Villegas Lira multidisciplinary, board- It is worth mentioning that EPD 4 Gavin L. Tait certified credential that requires in collaboration with Technical 5 Hamed A. Alghamdi environmental professionals to Services Professional Academy (TSPA) successfully conducted 6 Jasem R. Al-Anazi see “the big picture” and to have the skills and knowledge to Live Remote Interactive Teaching 7 Javeed Mohammed Abdul solve “real problems.” Through Preparatory Course (via WebEx 8 Jihad Shana’a QEP certification, environmental conferencing technology) 9 Jose L. Llamas professionals demonstrate the that is required for obtaining Environmental Professional Intern 10 Muhammad B. Al-Rayaan breadth and depth of their knowledge and experience. (EPI) and Qualified Environmental 11 Omar Y. Al-Somali Professional (QEP) certifications. 12 Rafaqat A. Khan The exams and certifications were This live course is the first of 13 Romel R. Gapayao issued and recognized by the its kind for Saudi Aramco and U.S.-based Institute of Professional resulted in more than 90% 14 Saad H. Al-Qahtani Environmental Practice (IPEP), cost avoidance as compared to Certification comes after rigorous an independent organization normally instructed lead training scrutiny of experience and whose multidisciplinary exams classes. qualifications, and satisfactory are developed by professionals completion of a two-part written across all sectors of environmental examination in a specific practice practice, including industry,

46 Recognition Ceremonies Held for Manifa Flank I, II & III and SFNY Subsea Cable Repair Projects Completion By Ali Qasem, EPD EPD was recognized along other Company organizations for the safe and successful completion of the Manifa Flank I, II and III projects as well as for its role in completing the Safaniyah Offshore Producing Department’s Subsea Cable Repair Project. Recognition ceremonies were organized by Manifa Producing Department and Upstream Project Management Team, and they were attended by Northern Area Oil Operations VP, the Saudi Aramco Project Management VP and the Upstream Project Management General Manager, among others in management positions. Integrated project team members were recognized for their outstanding contribution in these projects, with Manifa flank work connecting water supplies with water injection platforms, while the Safaniyah Offshore Subsea Cable Repair Project improved electrical operations. One of EPD’s major contributions involved the obtaining of a dredging permit from the Government Dredging Committee in one month, instead of the usual six months needed. EPD also supported the completion of all associated environmental tasks for these projects, including the approval of Environmental Impact Assessments, just a few weeks prior to obtaining the dredging permit.

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Dicanthium foveolatum - Spike (Photo Source: Saudi Aramco)

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Enviro Snaps

50 A Coral Bouquet Saudi Aramco efforts to protect and enhance coral reefs grows Forrest Jones, EPD

True to its size, Saudi Aramco deployed at Al Khafji. This effort manage coral reefs. This event has taken massive steps to contributes to the Company’s total greatly emphasized current trends protect and enhance biodiversity. deployment of over 2,728 artificial to estimate biodiversity on coral Those include roping off huge reefs throughout the Arabian reefs, management of marine swathes of land rich in flora and Gulf to date, a number that will protected areas, sustainable fauna from development, even continue to rise. fisheries and habitat restoration reintroducing large-bodied species techniques such as coral such as the oryx, gazelle and At a higher level, partnerships transplantation and nurseries. The ostrich in some parts. with organizations such as the topics of this symposium were Smithsonian Institution have highly relevant to Saudi Aramco The Company has also planted helped the Company develop due to the amount of Company millions of mangrove trees that a deeper understanding of activities near coral reefs, as well will absorb noteworthy amounts critical factors needed to ensure as the ongoing biodiversity studies of CO from the atmosphere, and promote conservation of 2 that the department is conducting while terrestrial tree-plantings biodiversity in Saudi Arabia, with partner universities. will yield many positive impacts including artificial reefs. across the Kingdom, including combatting desertification by Academic circles figure in here as halting the advance of sand. well. But did you know the Company EPD in collaboration with the has spent the last several years Saudi Aramco-KAUST center protecting and enhancing for Marine Environmental undersea life via the deployment Observations presented a research of artificial reefs? paper on coral-reef monitoring in the Red Sea during the 4th Asia- Saudi Aramco has installed tons Pacific Coral Reef Symposium in of artificial reefs throughout the 2018. This five-day symposium Arabian Gulf to rebuild marine was hosted by the University of ecosystems as well as support the Philippines, the Department local fisheries industries. of Environment and Natural Resources, and the Philippine In 2018, artificial reefs were Association of Marine Science. The deployed at both Safaniyah and symposium grouped participants Al Khafji — 1,220 artificial reef from more than thirty 30 countries units were deployed at Safaniyah to develop solutions to better and 459 artificial reef units were 51 Environmental Protection Department

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