Spring 2009 A periodical of Saudi Aramco
Company welcomes former employees, dependents
Spring 2009
A veil of clouds partially obscures a flank of Tanzania’s Mount Kilimanjaro, Africa’s highest peak. A group of Saudi Aramco adventurers recently climbed the volcano to celebrate a colleague’s 50th birthday. See story and photos starting on Page 18.
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2 Cluster industries to stimulate growth 12 Dalian Refinery offloads first Saudi crude 18 Conquering ageless Kilimanjaro 24 Scholar sowed seeds of Saudi-Japanese ties 30 Former Aramcons come home again 32 News Dimensions: Rafie retires Inside Back Cover The Way We Were
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About the cover: In a photo by Arabian Sun reporter Sara Bassam, former Aramco employee Bert Seal displays his visitor’s badge, left, for the recent Annuitant Reunion in the Kingdom, and his original company employee badge. Seal was an employee of Aramco during 1955–1960, assigned as a photographer for the Sun & Flare, Aramco’s weekly newspaper for employees and dependents that was the forerunner to the Arabian Sun. The background photo of construction of the then-new Aramco main administration building in Dhahran was shot by Seal in June 1956. About the back cover: Saudi Aramco’s Manal Al-Dowayan, a gifted photographer now a resident artist with the Delfina Foundation in London, shot this captivating photograph while studying the meaning and style of veils in Saudi Arabia. The project resulted in a series of photos of Saudi women covered by veils from different parts of their country.
The Saudi Arabian Oil Company, also known as Saudi Aramco, was established by Royal Decree in November 1988 to succeed the original U.S. concessionary company, Aramco. The Aramco concession dates back to 1933.
Saudi Aramco Dimensions is published periodically for the affiliates, customers and employees of the Saudi Arabian Oil Company (Saudi Aramco).
Beginning in 1973, under terms of an agreement with the four Aramco shareholders, the Saudi Government began acquiring an ownership interest. By 1980, with retroactive financial effect to 1976, the Government’s beneficial interest in Aramco increased to 100 percent when it paid for substantially all of Aramco’s assets.
Khaled A. Al-Buraik Executive Director, Saudi Aramco Affairs
Saudi Arabia’s Supreme Council for Petroleum and Mineral Affairs determines policies and oversees operations of the Kingdom’s oil and gas industries. Saudi Aramco’s Board of Directors is chaired by HE Ali I. Al-Naimi, Minister of Petroleum and Mineral Resources.
Khalid A. Al-Falih President and Chief Executive Officer
Emad M. Al-Dughaither Manager (A), Public Relations Department Editor: Rick Snedeker Contributing to this issue: Seba Al-Maghlouth, Khalid F. Altowelli, Sara Bassam, Stephen Brundage, Mike Hulver, Mark Kennedy, Delshad Kumana, Bert Seal and Rick Snedeker
Design: Amy Reed Neal, Herring Design, Houston, Texas, U.S.A. Printing: Sarawat Designers and Printers, Jiddah, Saudi Arabia All editorial correspondence should be addressed to: The Editor, Saudi Aramco Dimensions Public Relations Department, Saudi Aramco Box 5000 Dhahran 31311 Saudi Arabia ISSN 1319-0520 Copyright © 2009 Aramco Services Company SPRING 2009 Printed on recycled paper www.saudiaramco.com
— Four years ago, members of Saudi Aramco’s New Business Development (NBD) organization wanted to answer Minister of Petroleum and Mineral Resources HE Ali Al-Naimi’s call to diversify the Kingdom’s economy by expanding and diversifying its economic activities, and creating jobs. Helping to diversify the national economy was also one of the company’s strategic imperatives, and NBD felt they had something positive to contribute. There were many Diversifying the counreasons to diversify the try’s economy, in the right Kingdom’s economy, not way, would create meanthe least of which is the fact ingful employment opporthat most of the country’s tunities for young Saudis. economic activity is generWith 60 percent of Saudi ated by the petroleum and Arabia’s population under chemicals industries. the age of 25 and soon “As a percentage of seeking good jobs (or GDP, only 10 percent of already seeking good jobs), Saudi Arabia’s economic this is a pressing challenge. output comes from nonTo illustrate, as of year-end oil manufacturing. The 2007, only 54,936 Saudis figure is even lower — out of 765,621 Saudis in just 6 percent — as a perthe private sector workcentage of total employforce — only slightly more ment,” said Azzam Y. than 7 percent — were Shalabi, formerly of Saudi employed in jobs directly Aramco and president of related to the petroleum the National Industrial and mining industries. Cluster Development The question that NBD Program (NICDP), who wrestled with was: where was to play a key role in were all the other jobs in figuring out just how to non-oil-and-gas industries diversify the Kingdom’s economy. going to come from? And how can Saudi Above: Modern and traditional Islamic design The problem is that the oil-and-gas indusAramco best help to create them? elements merge in the tries are extremely capital-intensive and don’t The role of the NBD is to attract and entrance to the Royal Commission for Jubail create many jobs relative to the amount of develop new businesses that will partner with, and Yanbu‘ headquarters money invested (each new job in the oil and or act as service providers for the company in Yanbu‘. Opposite: A chemicals industries requires an investment — in other words, to help create employment cluster of white buildings near Yanbu‘ is dwarfed of somewhere in between $500,000 to opportunities (either directly or indirectly) by the nearby mountains. $1 million). related to the Kingdom’s oil-and-gas industry. And the Kingdom’s petroleum industry is In their own way, and within their limited already highly developed and will only offer a limited nummandate, the people in NBD put their particular talents ber of additional opportunities in the near future. Those to work every day to identify ways to improve the socioopportunities would have relatively high earning poteneconomic health of the Kingdom. So to be puzzling over tial, but they would also require high levels of education how to do this outside the oil-and-gas industry wasn’t and experience. necessarily beyond NBD’s capabilities, it just wasn’t within
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its traditional scope of responsibility. But Saudi Aramco has had a long tradition of not only doing what’s best for the company but also for the country. So NBD launched a study to investigate what it would take to create the necessary jobs and diversify the Kingdom’s economy. And though the results of this study would have negligible benefits for the company, it was the right thing to do for the country.
I see people today who can’t find jobs and that hurts. When I walk around and I see these young people, I say to myself, ‘What are we doing for them?’ It’s always in my mind.” It’s a tall order. One of the ways that Saudi Aramco is doing its part to address this problem is by making a significant investment to create a thriving petrochemical industry. For instance, the Petro Rabigh oil/petrochemical complex, now in the final construction phase on the Red Sea, and its A TALL ORDER associated conversion park ew Business are projected to bring in Development was other downstream busiintent on creating nesses that will need not living-wage jobs for the only the Kingdom’s readily wave of young educated available gas fuel and feedSaudis who would need stocks, but employees — careers capable of supportSaudi employees. ing families and middle Petro Rabigh will be the class lifestyles. Kingdom’s first integrated It turns out that this is petroleum refinery and the demographic most in petrochemical complex, need of help. According to taking advantage of the a recent survey, the highest synergy of fuels producunemployment rates in the tion occurring in the same Kingdom of Saudi Arabia complex as petrochemicals occur among the youngest manufacturing. More to of the country’s workforce the point, Petro Rabigh and among those who have will need support indusa high school diploma or tries, and it is envisioned bachelor’s degree. What this to spawn myriad downsuggests is that the necesstream enterprises. sary professional opportuniAl-Aydh said, “We will Above: Industry spawns communities simply aren’t yet available. provide petrochemicals that we will proties and their amenities, such as “Just like anybody else in the Kingdom, duce, and we will encourage investors to mosques. Opposite: Pipelines and I care about the young generation,” said come and establish conversion facilities tank farms sprout from the desert at Yanbu‘ Refinery. Industrial comSalim S. Al-Aydh, Saudi Aramco’s senior where they will take our products and plexes generally stimulate a host vice president of Engineering and Project convert them into consumer products. of support and downstream facilities, and residential communities. Management. “I think we have a responAnd these consumer products will be sibility to do what we can do to provide used to build cars and household applijobs for them. My children are grown and have jobs, but ances like refrigerators and so on. So that’s the idea — I have grandchildren I worry about. I worry all the time, to create the chain.” and I wonder what I can do for them. And my grandchildren But other efforts are needed to complement what the are just like the rest of the new generation in the Kingdom. company is already doing. Enter NBD.
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THE CLUSTER PHENOMENON NBD determined that the best employment hy is Houston known as the oilopportunities for Saudis resided in a specific and-gas capital of the U.S? Why range of industries they called the “Sweet is Seattle considered the hub of the Spot” — that is, industries that require high software industry in the U.S? Why is Silicon skill sets, offer attractive compensation and Valley … well, Silicon Valley? create the most jobs per dollar invested. At These leading industrial centers are the the top of the curve for combining skills and result of a phenomenon that has been occurwages were occupations in the oil-and-gas ring naturally for a long, long time. They are industry. At the other end of the spectrum what Harvard competitiveness guru Mike was textiles — an industry that doesn’t require Porter has recently studied and termed “clusmuch capital but creates a lot of low-wage ters.” The term “cluster” can be thought of as jobs. NBD came up with a list of 18 industries a framework for understanding that met their “Sweet Spot” economic and industrial develcriteria. The problem was, of opment, competitiveness, and the original list of 18, none where, how and why industries were industries that had been evolve the way they do. established to any high degree Basically, a cluster can be within the Kingdom. defined as a geographic concenGiven the international comtration of interconnected and petition for manufacturing jobs, interrelated companies and instifrom places such as Turkey, tutions in a particular area that India and China, NBD had are linked by common technoloto look for areas where the gies, skill sets, customers and Kingdom’s resources could offer suppliers. Its components can some form of advantage. So, to include elements of government, narrow the field even further, industry, academia, research NBD turned its focus on the companies, the business itself industries that could benefit and its supporting businesses from and further leverage the all working together within a raw materials that are readily more or less defined physical available at a competitive price infrastructure (an industrial in the Kingdom — “advantage park, a town, a geographical materials” — like energy or location like a valley…). steel or petrochemical feedTake Houston for example. stocks that will come from At one end of the oil-and-gas facilities like Petro Rabigh. They value chain you have the oil and gas Top: Saudi Aramco president and CEO also looked at industries that could take Khalid Al-Falih listens to a presentation companies. But then, as you move advantage of the Kingdom’s geographiat the recent steering committee meetalong the value chain, you next find cally strategic location to serve the ing of the National Industrial Cluster Development Program (NICDP) in Shaythe service companies like Schlumberger export market. This analysis led to bah. Above: Commerce and Industry and Kellogg, Brown and Root. Then a profile of the five industries most Minister HE Abdullah Bin Ahmad Zainal, there are the equipment suppliers and left, chats with Salim Al-Aydh, senior suited to setting up shop in the vice president of Engineering and Project the technology providers. Next are the Kingdom: automotive assembly, conManagement, middle, and Dr. Abdulaziz subcontractors and the business services. struction materials, metals processing, Abdulateef Jazzar, president of Compume Group and Al Malaz Group. Lastly, you find academia, technical packaging and consumer goods.
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training institutions and industry associations. All of these economy. Now it was time to see if the government liked are located in the Houston area, and they all work interacthe idea. tively to support the oil-and-gas industry and, some degree, one another. SOMETHING UNEXPECTED HAPPENED n late 2006, NBD approached the Ministry of PetroClusters like Houston and Silicon Valley grew organically, leum and Mineral Resources with the cluster concept, as a natural result of the economic environment. NBD’s thinking the government might want to use the model plan was to create clusters within the Kingdom based as one way to help around the five “Sweet diversify the economy Spot” industries, which and create the jobs could leverage the they so urgently needed Kingdom’s advantage for the country’s young materials and strategic people. location. Only they The current head of wanted to accelerate New Business Developthe process. ment, Abdulaziz M. This was not an Al-Judaimi, said, “It’s a entirely new concept. little bit of a paradigm Countries like Singapore shift in the sense that and South Korea had these jobs will not come done it and with sucfrom capital-intensive cessful results. Those oil projects but rather two countries at one from small to medium time contained poor industries that will come agricultural societies and contribute to the struggling to feed their support of the Kingpeople. And over a peridom’s economy. It’s od of several decades a noble program that they became industrial will create high-skill giants. The key would jobs with high pay.” be to customize the The Ministry process to account for reviewed the data and Saudi Arabia’s unique carefully considered the advantages. strategy that NBD had “Anything that we Aref Ali of the Office of laid out. The response was unanimous: they can do to develop the Kingdom’s economy the President and CEO loved it. Then something unexpected hapis important to the company,” said Al-Aydh. works the bellows at pened. The Ministry, seeing the amount of “It’s important to me personally. And as a Shaybah’s visitor’s center during the recent gatherwork that had gone into preparing the cluster company we have a social responsibility to ing of the NICDP steering plan for the Kingdom and, not wanting to create jobs for our young people who are committee. lose the momentum, decided that NBD was looking for work. And we think we can create the perfect organization to carry the concept forward to these clusters and be competitive, not only in the local marthe next phase of development. ket but also in the region and the international market.” The Ministry agreed to sponsor the program and Saudi NBD conducted all of the necessary research, identiAramco’s role was to further define specific strategies and fied the opportunities and uncovered the recommended roadmaps for taking clusters from concept to reality. approach for creating good jobs and diversifying the
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Part of the process involved creating an entirely new tier-one companies with the know-how, the technology government organization from scratch. On April 3, 2007, and the market channels to make these export-driven Council of Ministers Decree No. 62 legally established products.” the National Industrial Cluster Development Program Within the automotive industry, for instance, automo(NICDP). Funding was provided for the new government tive assembly was identified as an anchor project. The organization and a rationale was simple, steering committee, the Kingdom has the headed by Prince plastics, it has the Faisal bin Turki, steel, it has the inexadviser to the Minpensive and abunistry of Petroleum dant energy. Once and Mineral Rethe assembly plant sources, was created was up and running, to manage the projit would then attract ect. The first presiall the supporting dent of NICDP business that go would be Azzam along with it. All Shalabi. The choice of these supporting of these two men to tier businesses would spearhead the effort want to be co-located would prove a wise for logistical purposdecision over and es and to reap the over again as they advantages of just-inwielded their experitime manufacturing ence and interperphilosophy. sonal skills to keep “It is very interestthe ball moving ing to see how things toward the goal line are evolving in the and to bring interKingdom,” Alested parties into Judaimi said. “When the process. I was young, I wantTo jump-start each ed to be a petroleum of the five “Sweet engineer because the Spot” cluster proonly major industry gram industries, NBD available in Saudi developed what are called anchor Arabia at the time was oil operaTop: A presenter shows an industrial development chart to Mohamed H. Al-Mady, projects. These anchor projects would tions. This was very clear in my right, vice chairman and CEO of Saudi Basic be the primary businesses around mind. Now, for my kids, they have Industries Corp. (SABIC), and other executives. Above: HRH Amir Faisal bin Turki, which the Kingdom’s clusters would different opportunities. If they want chairman of the National Industrial Cluster grow. They would act as the catalyst careers in anything — law, finance, Development Program (NICDP) Steering for the whole process. and in time, automotive manufacturCommittee, standing in middle, and other committee members visit the operations “When looking at these clusters, ing — they can pursue it here.” control room at Shaybah. the initial key elements are the anchor But convincing even one auto projects,” said Shalabi. “Without these, it will take too major to build an auto assembly plant in Saudi Arabia long to make the clusters a reality, because you need these would be another matter altogether.
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THE (VALUE) PROPOSITION he cluster program for the Kingdom was kind of a “build it and they will come” strategy — get the anchor projects established and the tier supply businesses would follow. But a lot of countries are currently pursuing the cluster concept, and with similar anchor projects in mind. So, when contacting potential investors for that critical auto assembly anchor project, NBD wanted to be able to make the strongest pitch (or value proposition) possible. To do that they would have to know
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for the level of skill they possess?” NBD went to the U.S. to study model programs that create bridges between employers, workers and training programs, including an emerging concept called Workforce Intermediaries, which promotes the use of a long-term job coach who works with all parties to help the employee/employer relationship succeed. Back in the Kingdom they discovered that many of the organizations required to address the labor issues already existed. The problem
exactly what they were selling and match Communities near was that these organizations were fragmented. industrial complexes it exactly to what their investors wanted. For NBD, it was a matter of working with the draw employees and A study was conducted to develop the community, the government and the service their families. At right: Saudi Aramco Marine exact right value proposition. NBD needed to providers to connect the dots. Department employees know what would make an auto manufacturWhat NBD envisioned was a total solution engage in on-the-job er want to establish a plant in the Kingdom, training in Yanbu‘. that would make it easy for investors to hire and any reasons why it wouldn’t. and train Saudi workers, thereby mitigating One thing that came out of this study was an awarethe risk they perceived in establishing a business in the ness of several difficulties around the issue of skilled labor. Kingdom. They wanted to create an entity that would The manufacturing sector in Saudi Arabia isn’t yet recruit, assess and then train Saudi workers to meet the highly developed, which means there isn’t a large talent investors’ criteria in terms of skills and certifications. That pool upon which to draw. So if an automobile manufacentity would then have a pool of trained individuals that turer was initially interested in Saudi Arabia as a site for a the investors could come and select from. In addition, manufacturing plant because of the Kingdom’s advantage the worker would start out being on the entity’s payroll, materials, the next thing they would want to know is, and if they worked out, they would be transferred to the “Where are the skilled workers? How do I recruit them? employer’s payroll. How can I afford to hire them when they cost too much A program called LaborCo was recently endorsed by
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the Ministry of Labor and is currently being developed by the NICDP. And with this program, an investor company would only have to go to one place — a sort of one-stop shop — to meet all of its business/labor/training needs. That is just one more reason why potential investors can have confidence that, when they come, they will have employees who want to work and are willing to work to be successful. Another issue to be addressed was available land for cluster businesses. “It’s not the land itself,” said Al-Aydh, “but you need roads, you need power, you need water, communications — all the support infrastructure.
research and development in order to overcome any barrier that might keep a manufacturer from coming to Saudi Arabia; or worse, coming for a few years and then leaving. THE HAND-OFF n 2008, the NICDP steering committee evolved into a board of directors. Both the NICDP and its new board now report to the Ministry of Commerce and Industry. At this point, Saudi Aramco officially handed off its work on the cluster program, though it will continue to provide support on an as-needed basis. “I feel very proud of our people for their
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great efforts to support the program,” AlSo for the investor who wants to build a Vibrant communities evolve around and near Judaimi said. “And through them I feel that smaller facility, it would be too expensive for Saudi industrial cities, Saudi Aramco has left a positive imprint on him to develop the land and build the facility providing housing, retail services, jobs, cultural the program.” with power and all that. Okay, we will develsites and recreational The Kingdom is determined to diversify op the land so all they have to do is build the amenities for workers its economy, which it must do in order to facility and plug in. So let’s say that I am a car and their families. become like a tree that has many roots — manufacturer; if I can come and see that there and, thus, is hard to topple. is developed land with all the facilities that I need, and I Al-Judaimi noted that, “Not only will we have diversifilook around and I see that there are conversion facilities cation, but we will have diversity. Because we will see difbeing built in Ras Tanura or Rabigh and these are producferent people from different countries coming to invest. ing products that I will be using, things will fall into place And you will see major industries like auto manufacturing and it will be easier for them to make the decision to come come. When one comes, it will bring all the other small to and build and invest.” medium industries that form the rest of the value chain.” It won’t stop there. Work continues to combine agencies The focus of the cluster program is on downstream that deal with financing, trade issues, regulations, and
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value-added manufacturing. And while all the “Sweet entice big manufacturers to the set up shop within its borSpot” industries leverage certain things within the Kingders. It’s a global marketplace and the stakes are high — dom (advantage materials, inexpensive energy, feedstocks, potentially billions of dollars of investment and hundreds etc.), they’re not oil and gas. So the cluster concept fits of thousands of direct and indirect jobs. It will take focus nicely with some of the other diversification efforts that and dedication to increase the probability of capturing are currently being pursued by the government — like some of those opportunities. That’s part of the continuing financial services. work to be done. The cluster program is the framework At the time of this that allows the Kingdom writing, NICDP is in to not only attract potennegotiations with a tial investors, but to set European auto manufacthem up for sustainable turer and has signed a growth. Creating the memorandum of underconditions for success for standing (MOU) with a these potential investors Japanese truck manufacwill, in turn, assure the turer to build factories in success of the country’s the Kingdom. The proyoung workforce. gram has also signed two “It’s very important to MOUs with international build that first project,” white-goods manufacturAl-Judaimi said. “Then ers to explore investment people will see that opportunities in refrigerNICDP is delivering. ator manufacturing in Get that first project the country, as well as running, get that first another MOU with an car that says ‘Made in international mining Saudi Arabia,’ and you company to study the will see so many people feasibility of developing coming. And more a 400,000-ton-per-year will follow.” aluminum rolling mill. In a relay race, the Technical jobs are last lap is run by the highly sought after by anchor — the team the country’s young peomember most likely to ple. They’re the types carry the team’s effort of jobs that can become to victory. Like the baton careers. If the cluster in a relay race, the cluster Industrial cities need program is successful, companies will set up program has been handed off to the anchor, transportation inframanufacturing facilities and hire Saudis. the Saudi government, for the final leg of the structure, such as ports, These young Saudis will have the opportunity race. “There are hurdles in the way,” said Alto deliver their products to markets worldwide. to work up the management chain not only Aydh. “But they are not so tall that we can’t within the facility here in Saudi Arabia, but jump them.” they may actually become strong contributors to the comThough Saudi Aramco will continue to play a supportpany globally. You have to start somewhere. More imporing role, it is now up to the government to make the final tantly, you have to start. sprint across the finish line — to applause and cheers of But Saudi Arabia is not the only country seeking to Saudi workers across the country. ■
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A NEW FRIEND
IN CHINA SAUDI ARAMCO FIRST TO
OIL
DELIVERS
SHIPMENT
PETROCHINA
REFINERY
Wr i t t e n b y D e l s h a d K u m a n a
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H A H R A N , S A U D I A R A B I A — When the Olympic Legend sailed majestically into Dalian Xingang port in northeastern China in August 2008, carrying its precious cargo of two million barrels of Arabian Light, it was a highwater mark for Saudi Aramco. The tanker was transporting Saudi Aramco’s first delivery of crude oil to PetroChina’s Dalian refinery, heralding the beginning of a long-term supply agreement between the world’s largest oil-producing company and China’s largest oil and gas producer and distributor. The dignitaries gathered at the dock to celebrate the arrival of the ship were witnessing a step change in trade relations between the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and the People’s Republic of China. It was especially significant for Saudi Aramco — because, thanks to the new agreement, the company is now the supplier of choice to both titans of China’s petroleum industry, PetroChina and Sinopec. While Saudi Aramco’s relationship with PetroChina is new, its relationship with Sinopec goes back many years. Sinopec’s business interests encompass oil and gas exploration, refining, and marketing, as well as the production and sales of petrochemicals. In fact, years before China
became a dominant global manufacturing hub and at a time when its crude oil imports were relatively small, Saudi Aramco had already foreseen the enormous growth potential in the Chinese market and established a sales and marketing subsidiary office — Saudi Petroleum Ltd. — in Beijing in 1998. Last year, Saudi Aramco accounted for 16.5 percent of China’s total crude imports, and currently supplies roughly 750,000 barrels per day (bpd) of crude oil. Further cementing these trade ties, the two countries recently signed memoranda of understanding that envision imports exceeding one million bpd by 2010, and 1.5 million bpd by 2015. At right: The Olympic Legend, carrying two million barrels of Arabian Light crude, berths at the Dalian Xingang Port. Below: PetroChina Dalian PetroChemical Co. faces Dalian City, a heavyindustry metropolis, across Dalian Bay.
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Elaborating on the growing and mutually beneficial trade relationship between the two countries, Mohammed S. Madi, regional vice president in charge of Saudi Petroleum Limited-Beijing, says: “On the one hand, you have the largest nation on Earth and are a rapidly developing economic superpower, while on the other you have the steward of the world’s largest resource base of conventional crude oil and its biggest oil producer and exporter. The future of that relationship is of central importance not only to our two societies, but to the entire global economic system. At Saudi Aramco, we are honored to play a major part in fueling China’s continued journey toward ever greater prosperity for its people, and to ensure that its growing petroleum and petrochemical needs are met reliably and responsibly.” Abdulrahman A. Yousef, chief representative of Aramco Overseas Co. in Shanghai, echoes these sentiments. “We are building strong, long-term relationships with leading Chinese petroleum companies. Historically, our most fruitful partnership has been with Sinopec. The relationship between our two companies is a model of synergy, and shows what is possible when two leading firms join forces, combining their respective strengths and expertise in a wide variety of endeavors.” TWO JOINT VENTURES n Fujian Province, Saudi Aramco has entered into two joint ventures, one focusing on the expansion of an existing Sinopec refinery, the other centered on the distribution of fuel. In February 2007, the Kingdombased Saudi Aramco Sino Co. signed landmark agreements with Sinopec Corporation, ExxonMobil and the Fujian provincial government on the first fully integrated
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Sino-foreign projects involving refining, petrochemicals, and marketing. The joint ventures have a total investment of approximately $5 billion, and will benefit not only Fujian Province but the whole of China. The Fujian Refining and Ethylene Project, the refining and petrochemicals joint venture located in Quanzhou, will expand the existing refinery from 80,000 barrels per day to 240,000 barrels per day. The upgraded refinery will primarily refine and process sour Arabian crude. The joint-venture company, formally registered as Fujian Refining & Petrochemical Company Ltd., is owned by Fujian Petrochemical Co. Ltd. (50 percent), ExxonMobil China Petroleum and Petrochemical Co. Ltd. (25 percent), and Saudi Aramco Sino Co. Ltd. (25 percent). It began operations in June 2007. A month later, Sinopec SenMei (Fujian) Petroleum Co. Ltd., the marketing joint venture, was launched. Sinopec SenMei uses the Sinopec, Esso and Saudi Aramco corporate logos and trademarks on its flagship service stations — the first time that service stations outside Saudi Arabia have carried the company’s icon and trademarks. The Saudi Aramco energy-burst design logos are now emblazoned on more than 30 flagship stations across China. E X PA N D I N G I T S B A S E idening its customer base, Saudi Aramco is now a major player in PetroChina’s Dalian refinery project. The Dalian refinery, in June 2008, commissioned its new 200,000-bpd crude oil distillation unit and several secondary units for sour crude oil processing. At the welcoming ceremony for the Olympic Legend at the Dalian Xingang Terminal, Madi addressed the assembled guests in Chinese. Congratulating the refinery team on the successful start-up of the facility’s new A Saudi Aramco billboard promotes units, he added: “This shipment the company on of crude oil from Saudi Arabia busy Xianyue Road to Dalian — the first of many to in Xiamen, Fujian Province, China. come — not only underscores Saudi Aramco’s sustained commitment to the Chinese market, but also ushers in a new phase in the relationship between Saudi Aramco and PetroChina.” As the China Daily reported: “Saudi Aramco has been at the forefront of cooperation with Chinese firms and energy institutions, and remains deeply committed to meeting China’s energy needs.” The true measure of that commitment is Saudi Aramco’s biggest investment in the People’s Republic — human
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Above: Executive Director of Marketing resources. “More than a decade Supply and Joint Venture Coordination ago, Saudi Aramco began sending Dawood Al-Dawood (sitting third from students to China not only to get left) with Aramco representatives from Fujian Refinery and Petrochemical Co., a fine university education, but Saudi-Sino Co. (AOC Xiamen) and Asia also to learn the language, expeJoin Venture Department (Hong Kong), and Saudi Aramco students in Xiamen. rience the culture and to get to At right: Two Saudi Aramco chemical know the people,” Madi says. engineering students at Xiamen “The first graduates from these University — Mohanad Zakari, left, and Rami Abualfaraj. programs are now found hard at work throughout Saudi Aramco, both in the Kingdom and in China, and a new group of supplies such as pipes, valves, and industrial equipment. young students have taken their place in the classrooms The Hong Kong office oversees the Fujian project and all of Chinese universities. I believe that by sending some Asian joint ventures. The Tokyo offices handle crude oil of the best and brightest of our new generation to China and product sales support activities in Japan, Korea and to study, Saudi Aramco is continually recommitting itself Taiwan, as well as sourcing and contracting operations. to the future of our relationship with China, and better The Singapore office oversees sales and marketing supenabling us to meet the long-term challenges we will port for South Asia, while the Kuala Lumpur office hanface together.” dles procurement and contracting for that region. Saudi Aramco has set its sights firmly on Asian markets, and does not confine itself to China. At present, the SHIFT IN TRADE BALANCE company is the number one supplier of crude to Japan, he balance of trade is clearly shifting, with Far India and Korea, as well as China. Apart from offices Eastern markets now making up 50 percent of in Beijing, the company has affiliate offices in Shanghai, Saudi Aramco’s clientele. Recognizing the speHong Kong, Tokyo, Kuala Lumpur and Singapore. The cial relationship with Asian markets, the company has Beijing office handles sales and marketing in China. The embarked on an “Asian Business and Culture ProShanghai office is mainly a sourcing office for Chinese gram,” where up-and-coming Saudi managers have the
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opportunity to gain first-hand experience of the region, and to become better acquainted with its various societies, economies and cultures. Addressing a conference in Tokyo for Japan’s next generation of business leaders, Adel A. Al-Tubayyeb, Saudi Aramco Vice President for Marketing and Supply Planning, said: “Some of your companies have been valued Saudi Aramco customers for many years, while others have been providing Saudi Aramco with vital engineering or financial services for decades. We have well-established and solid relationships with Japanese petroleum companies, petrochemical firms like Sumitomo Chemical, and world-class engineering enterprises like JGC and Chiyoda. “Oil accounts for roughly 48 percent of Japan’s energy consumption, and virtually all of this country’s crude oil needs are met through imports — nearly 90 percent of which come from the Arabian Gulf region. Saudi Aramco accounts for nearly 30 percent of Japan’s crude oil imports Mohammed S. Al-Madi, Regional Vice President and Chief Representative of the Saudi Petroleum Ltd. Beijing Office.
— a figure which we view with a sense of pride, of course, but also with an overwhelming sense of responsibility, knowing how much is riding on our ability to provide a reliable supply of crude oil to this market.” The secret of Saudi Aramco’s success is that it does not view these diverse markets as monolithic, but recognizes that each has its own unique dynamic. The company is aware, for example, that Japan and Korea have massive demand but are already mature markets with relatively low growth. India and China, on the other hand, started off as smaller markets, but are now growing very quickly. IMPRESSIVE GROWTH IN INDIA he Indian economy has shown impressive growth over the past decade, and has become a significant consumer of energy resources. Although blessed with its own crude oil reserves off the western coast near Mumbai, the combination of stagnant production levels and rapidly rising oil consumption has left India increasingly dependent on imports. Saudi Aramco supplies crude oil to India’s Big Five petroleum companies — the Indian Oil Corporation, Reliance Petroleum, the Mangalore Refinery, Bharat
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‘A T S A U D I A R A M C O , W E A R E H O N O R E D T O P L AY A M A J O R PA RT I N F U E L I N G C H I N A ’ S C O N T I N U E D J O U R N E Y T O WA R D E V E R G R E AT E R P R O S P E R I T Y F O R I T S P E O P L E .’ — Mohammed S. Al-Madi, regional vice president in charge of Saudi Petroleum Limited-Beijing
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Khalid A. Al-Falih, Petroleum and Hindustan then executive vice Petroleum. president of Saudi One issue that haunts Aramco, at left, listens to a briefing about some energy-importing the retail gas-station nations is their growing business of Sinopec SenMei, a marketing reliance on oil imports. joint-venture comCould dependence pany among Sinopec, on imports lead to ecoSaudi Aramco and ExxonMobil). Al-Falih nomic vulnerability and became president and potential conflict with CEO on Jan. 1, 2009. Below: The Fujian other consuming naRefinery and Ethylene tions? According to Adel Project (FREP) site in Al-Tubayyeb, “Imports December 2008. act as a force for greater interdependence among nations, a force for greater regional and global stability, and a spur to greater trade and cooperation among countries and their commercial sectors. Strong trading relationships can be mutually beneficial, and allow nations and economies to focus on their areas of relative strength and make the most of their competitive advantages, whether those are resources, infrastructure, cost, technology, human and financial capital, or even geographical location.
Producers will always need consumers every bit as much as consumers need producers.” The growing Asian markets — both as consumers and providers of consumer goods — are living proof that trade is the lifeblood of global economies. In centuries past, traders spoke of the perils and profitability of the ancient Silk Route. Today’s trade route traverses the oceans, where a fleet of modern oil tankers enable Saudi Aramco to ride the crest of the “oil wave.” ■
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Saudi Aramcons conquer Photos by Mike Hulver
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OUNT KILIMANJARO, Tanzania
— For Saudi Aramco employee Kent Norton’s 50th birthday, he and seven friends and kin from Dhahran and the United States — plus 20 porters, three guides and a cook — hiked 42 kilometers (more than 26 miles) to the top of Mount Kilimanjaro, the stately volcano that is the roof of Africa. Kilimanjaro is in the same time zone as Dhahran, but, at 5,895 meters (19,341 feet) high, is somewhat higher, and with temperatures dipping as low as minus 10 degrees Fahrenheit, somewhat cooler. But, like Sir Edmund Hillary, the first man to summit Mount Everest, the Dhahran/U.S. trekkers decided to climb Kilimanjaro because, “It was there.” The expedition, which began on October 12, 2007, was supported by a professional crew from Allan William Trekking Agency of Arusha, Tanzania, and included Dhahran
trekkers Norton (of the Area Exploration Department), Mike Hulver and Marty Robinson (also from Area Exploration), Tom Loretto (Reservoir Characterization), Karl Kleemeir (Corporate Planning) and Bruce Burwell (Remote Sensing). Joining the Dhahran group from the United States were Norton’s sister Jackie Taylor and Robinson’s stepson Merle Stephey. With a slight variation, the group elected to follow the popular Marangu Route, sometimes referred to as the “Coca Cola Route,” to the summit, which normally takes five days and four nights. The modification made was the addition of an extra night to camp in the crater so the trekkers would have some additional time to explore the caldera, the volcano’s crater structure, including its floor. The route is so named because soft drinks and other beverages are sold to hikers by rangers at three stations on that path up the mountain, and the prices rise with the altitude.
Above: Mt. Mawenzi, an eroded volcanic peak, is viewed from the crater rim as it looms from the southeast flank of Mt. Kilimanjaro. Below, from left: (1) The trekkers, from left, Karl Kleemeier, Tom Loretto (nearly obscured), Merle Stephey, Jackie Taylor, Bruce Burwell, Kent Norton and assistant guide Amani stroll up the trail through the high-altitude desert on Day 3. (2) A porter carries cargo on his head on the Marangu Route. (3) Trekkers employed “boot skiing” to descend the upper slopes. 1
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En route to the summit on Day 2, the group observed blue and colobus monkeys in the trees before leaving the rain-forest environment below the 2,800-meter (9,186-foot) elevation and entering heath and moorland, where trees are mostly absent and flora mainly grasses, small shrubs, heather and the very distinctive groundsell tree (Senecio kilimanjaro). At around 4,000 meters (13,123 feet) on Day 3, the hikers entered “a very desolate alpine desert characterized by an almost complete lack of vegetation.” Because the oxygen thins in such high altitudes, the guides started constantly urging the trekkers to proceed “pole pole,” Swahili for “slowly slowly,” as the slope sharply steepened. After reaching the crater rim on Day 4, the group went over the lip of the caldera and began the two-hour descent to the crater floor, where porters had already set up tents and prepared dinner. Because everyone in the Dhahran/U.S. group
was experiencing mild symptoms of altitude sickness, the food and opportunity to rest were much welcome. The camp was located at the base of the caldera’s central ash pit and near one of four glaciers at the summit. The next day, the group climbed back up to the crater rim and then hiked to Uhruru Peak (5895 meters, 19,341 feet), the highest point on Kilimanjaro. It was a clear beautiful day with fantastic views all around. After the leg-pounding, twoday descent from Kilimanjaro, head guide Alan William presented everyone with a certificate attesting to their achievement, which was received with pride and satisfaction. The trekkers reported that the Kilimanjaro climb is not technically difficult but physically challenging because of its steepness in the last 4,000 feet and the thinness of oxygen at its altitude. As such, they said, “pole pole” was the most excellent piece of advice they received.
Below, from left: (4) This Colobus monkey was spotted in the rain forest on the lower slopes. (5) Trekker Tom Loretto displays the lunch spread on Day 3 near the base of Mt. Mawenzi. (6) Marty Robinson thanks head guide Allan William for a job well done.
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This Day 5 panoramic view of the caldera floor shows the central ash cone, glaciers and campsite as the trekkers ascend the crater rim en route to Uhuru Peak. Marty Robinson and guides are visible in the lower left corner. Top, from left: (1) Karl Kleemeier rests and dines after his ascent of the crater rim on Day 4. (2) Jackie Taylor signs the Horombo Huts (3,720-meter elevation) registry at the end of Day 2. (3) Tom Loretto captures Mt. Kilimanjaro’s spectacular beauty. (4) Day 4 campsite within the caldera, within walking distance of one of Kilimanjaro’s glaciers. (5) Trekking tips posted at the entrance to the Marangu Route, Kilimanjaro National Park. (6) Head guide Allan William and his brother and assistant Amani take a break. (7) Marty Robinson, main logistics organizer for the trip. (8) Trekkers climb through alpine vegetation approaching Horombo Huts near the end of Day 2. (9) Head guide and company owner Allan William. (10) Kent Norton, who organized the trip for his 50th birthday. (11) Jackie Taylor, Norton’s sister. (12) The victorious trekkers, including the photographer of this feature, Mike Hulver, far right, celebrate with a Saudi Aramco banner at Uhuru Peak, Kilimanjaro’s highest point. ■
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Arabian Knight Japanese scholar’s fascination with Mideast forged enduring Saudi-Japanese relations Written by Khalid Altowelli TOKYO — Ninety-two-year-old Takashi Omar Hayashi of Japan can’t remember when he wasn’t mesmerized by the Middle East and all things Arab. Born in 1916 in Tokyo, Hayashi literally grew up listening to the centuries-old tales from the ancient, classical collection of traditional stories known as “One Thousand and One Nights,” which came to be widely known as, simply, “Arabian Nights.” Every night, Hayashi’s mother read him a bedtime story from the collection. In a profound way, this literary experience predicted the trajectory of his entire adult life and career. And it made Saudi Arabia a major waypoint in his life. It turns out, Hayashi was just a man ahead of his time.
Saudi-Japanese ties expand oday, in part thanks to pioneering groundwork laid by Hayashi many years ago, Saudi-Japanese relations are evolving on many levels, stimulating profound, bilateral interest in each other’s culture, business, industry and technology. It is a natural evolution: Saudi Arabia is Japan’s largest oil supplier via Saudi Aramco, which has embarked on multibillion-dollar projects and partnerships with Japanese corporations. Currently, hundreds of Saudi students are receiving their education in Japanese universities, including some of the company’s best and brightest potential future employees under its College Degree Program for
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Takashi Omar Hayashi, 92, at right and on opposite page, sorts memoirs and takes notes during an interview. Japanese-Saudi relations are strong and evolving today, thanks to pioneering groundwork by Hayashi over many years working in the Kingdom.
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PHOTOS BY KHALID AL-TOWELLI
Non-Employees (CDPNE). In addition, Arabic is being introduced as an elective foreign language in Japanese primary schools. Saudi Aramco has been a significant player in the developing relationship between Japan and Saudi Arabia in the past and present, and it appears the company will continue to play that key role in the future — a future that holds enormous potential, according to Faisal Trad, the Saudi ambassador to Japan. Trad this year coordinated a weeklong series of events in Tokyo, from June 17–23, titled “Saudi Days,” hosted and organized by Waseda University to complement this new era of mutual exchange. The event saw the participation of Saudi Aramco; Petro Rabigh, a Saudi Aramco and Sumitomo oil refinery and petrochemical joint venture; and the King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST).
This new, cooperative era and the bright future the Ambassador talked about wouldn’t have been possible without the people who laid the foundation for these relations decades ago. One of those pioneers is Takashi Hayashi, whose personal interest in Arabic culture opened many doors for him and allowed him to play an important role in the history of this vibrant relationship.
Bedtime stories from Arabian Nights ayashi was just a year-old toddler when World War I ended, and in the next few years after that murderous and destructive war, young Hayashi listened to exotic tales of Arabia from his mother’s Arabian Nights collection. Those bedtime stories triggered an interest and a passion
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for the Arab world inside Hayashi that led him in later years on a physical and intellectual journey to the Middle East, which transformed his life and world outlook. Hayashi’s mother’s fascination with Arab culture enchanted him, as well. Taking advantage of a Japanese government scholarship in 1937, the then 21-year-old Hayashi traveled across the world to Cairo to begin the first step of his journey at the University of Cairo’s College of Arts and Literature. During that educational trip to Cairo, he changed his first name to Omar and converted to Islam.
Three years later, Hiyashi had mastered Arabic and was on his way back home armed with a new language and full of ambition to introduce Arab culture and ideas in his homeland in a meaningful way. For the next five years after his return from Cairo, Hayashi lectured at Osaka University’s school of foreign languages and at Kyoto Imperial University. During that time in Osaka, he also embarked on a project to produce an Arabic-Japanese dictionary. “I had accumulated around 50,000 words for the project and built the copper plates to print it,” Hayashi told a reporter at the “Saudi Days” event in Tokyo in June. Sadly, his Japanese-Arabic dictionary materials were unable to survive World War II, as Allied bombing raids in Osaka incinerated the old city’s mostly wooden structures over huge areas, also destroying Hayashi’s copper plates for printing his beloved Arabic-Japanese dictionary. His four
Hayashi’s work and friendships allowed him to move in the upper strata of government and business. Above left: Hayashi, facing at right, helps translate at a meeting with Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Saudi Al-Faisal, middle. Above right: Hayashi, at the celebration marking the first Arabian Oil Co. Ltd. (AOC) oil shipment, at Khafji, in April 1961, represents AOC as general manager.
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long years of labor literally went up in smoke. “I never attempted to recreate the dictionary,” Hayashi said. “The economics of post-World War Japan did not allow it.” When the war ended, Hayashi, then 29, started his own family. To support them, he decided to move from academia to business, still relaying on his knowledge of Arabic and of Mideast culture. He turned from university lecturer to business scout, where he sought out commercial opportunities in the Mideast for Japanese businessmen, and eventually also became a much-sought-after translator for movers and shakers.
He first took a job with Japanese industrial giant Mitsubishi as head of its Middle East division and began making trips to the area in 1954 to learn more about its business potential and requirements. In Egypt, the place where he learned Arabic, he came back determined to help eradicate a disease that had haunted its people for ages. Bilharzias was contracted through bathing in water from the Nile Delta, and Hayashi managed to convince the Egyptians that the risk could be reduced by using cast iron pipes to hygienically transport water from the Nile to homes across Egypt. The pipes were imported from Japan. He also convinced a Japanese firm to invest $8.5 million in building a sugar plant in the upper Nile, where huge amounts of surplus Egyptian sugarcane were being dumped. In the Sudan, he managed to secure a $5 million deal
between Nikagomo, a rubber manufacturer in Kyushu, and the Sudanese Ministry of Education to supply students with rubber footwear. During that same 1954 visit, Hayashi landed in Saudi Arabia for the first time to help a Saudi businessman in Jeddah import Japanese textiles. However, that trip would not be his last. In 1957, he helped host Sheikh Fahad Al-Salim Al-Subah of Kuwait on his visit to Japan. “By the time his trip was over, the sheikh had decided to use Japanese ship builders to build the very first mammoth Kuwaiti oil tanker, with a capacity of 46,000 tons,” Hayashi said proudly. “The deal cost 3.2 billion yen and was paid immediately in full,” he added.
A critical need for capital apan in that period, says Hayashi, was in desperate need of financial capital to support its postwar economy and rebuilding efforts. The Middle East had that capital and was willing to spend it in return for technology, commerce and industry, and that is why Hayashi’s role was so important. He had the ability to communicate with both sides and bring them together. But others in Japan had their eyes on what is more than just capital; they were looking for energy, and the Arabian Gulf
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Above left: Hayashi, second from right, met with Japanese Prime Minister Yasuhiro Nakasone during a visit to Saudi Arabia in 1973. Above right: Hayashi confers with Saudi King Faisal bin Abdulaziz in Japan in 1971.
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region began to show strong potential to deliver that critical commodity. In early 1957, negotiations for an oil concession between the Japan Petroleum Trading Co. Ltd. and the Saudi government began, resulting in 1958 in creation of the Arabian Oil Co. Ltd. joint venture to manage the concession. Hayashi says that the chief executive at AOC at the time worked very hard to convince Hayashi’s Mitsubishi boss to transfer him from Mitsubishi to AOC, realizing his cultural expertise would be valuable there. Faced with strong
resistance, Hayashi wasn’t able to move until the Mitsubishi chief died a few years later. Hayashi then became an advisor to the head of AOC until 1964, when he was appointed general manager of AOC, became a member of the board of directors and moved to Saudi Arabia — a move that lasted 17 years, until 1981. During that period, Hayashi played a role beyond his responsibilities as the GM of AOC. Because of his knowledge in both languages and cultures, he was frequently called upon to translate among the Saudi and Japanese officials. “I met King Saud around five times and King Faisal more than ten times.” Hayashi said. Most of those encounters were to translate between the Saudi royals and visiting Japanese delegations, emperors, prime ministers or ministers. Hayashi also remembers King Faisal’s visit to Japan in May 1971. He also met King Fahad in Janadriyah, when he was crown prince. Hayashi recalls a meeting with King
Abdallah as crown prince and remembers that he donated generously to the Japanese Muslim Association. He recalls a later meeting with Abdullah in Japan when he was king. Hayshi also met Crown Prince Sultan in Japan in 1960.
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ne reporter noted that in two interviews with Hayashi in Tokyo, he wore a different golden watch each time; he said they were both royal presents. While drinking tea with his elegant, traditional Japanese manners, he explained: “The first watch was from King Faisal, and the second was from King Khalid, and both had the royal initials on them.” Now physically frail at 92 but still well-dressed, Hayashi remains mentally sharp and full of energy and determination to continue
pursuing his goal of bringing the Arab World and Japan closer together. But he dotes on his family, including son Tamotzo, who is now a surgeon working from a private clinic in Tokyo, and daughter Izomi, an engineering professor at the University of Shiga near Kyoto. Hayashi’s pride in his personal accomplishments sometimes seeps through his natural humility and gentle personality, but he immediately feels compelled to utter the words astaghferu allah, a begging of God’s forgiveness for such a transgression of virtue. But his achievements are quickly noted by others. In his keynote speech at Waseda University of Tokyo as part of “Saudi Days,” Saudi Aramco senior vice president for Industrial Relations Abdulaziz F. Al-Khayyal said:
Above left: Saudi King Saud bin Abdulaziz greets Hayashi at an official reception in 1957. Above right: Hayashi, third from left in back row, joins other members of a joint Saudi-Japanese delegation at his home in Riyadh in 1968. In middle is former Saudi Minister of Petroleum and Mineral Resources Ahmed Zaki Yamani.
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“During one of my earlier visits to this country, I had the privilege of meeting with a legend in the Japanese petroleum industry, Mr. Takashi Hayashi, and hearing first-hand about programs launched to bring the people of the two countries together. The seeds which Hayashi-san and his generation planted have grown and matured, and today Saudi Aramco sponsors dozens of young people to attend some of Japan’s finest universities, learning about the world of science and engineering while gaining a deeper appreciation for Japan and its unique society.” Al-Khayyal told a packed auditorium that relationships between the two countries go beyond the purely commercial realm: “Cooperation between our two countries on petroleum issues has a long history and covers many different facets of the oil business. We have to begin, I believe, with the strong commercial bonds that exist between Saudi Aramco and this country’s leading petroleum enterprises. As Japan’s largest supplier, we are proud of the role that our petroleum has played in Japan’s tremendous economic success over the last half century, and we remain committed to supplying the crude oil and petroleum products that Japanese consumers need to maintain their way of life. We opened our first office in Japan nearly a quarter-century ago, and during that time we have worked to build strong relations with the Japanese petroleum sector.”
Links strong but subtle ndeed, relations have been soaring beyond the commercial realm, and fundamental connections are often subtle. In the early 1980s, Saudi TV was one of many Arab TV stations to run a daily cartoon series about a young Sinbad and his amazing adventures around the world. The series was the first Arabic-language, Arab-themed animated production to ever appear on Saudi TV, and it got Saudi children glued to the screen. Very few Saudi children at the time knew that their favorite Arabic cartoon show was actually made in Japan. Today, Saudi TV is running a popular Japanese daytime drama set in imperial Japan and dubbed in Arabic. Some Saudis, through this program, are being introduced to Japanese culture for the very first time. And it all goes back to a young Japanese man who fell in love with the Middle East and Arab culture. ■
PHOTO BY KHALID AL-TOWELLI
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Hayashi’s affection for and interest in the Arab world is underscored by the Arabic numerals on his watch. He has spent many years strengthening and broadening Saudi-Japanese relations.
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HAHRAN, Saudi Arabia — More than 500 former Saudi Aramco employees and family members converged in early March here at the company’s world-headquarters community for the second Annuitants Reunion held in the Kingdom (the first was in 2000). It was an emotional, nostalgic gathering, because it was the first time in decades that many of the annuitants and their families had returned to Saudi Arabia. A rush of memories greeted them. The reunion, held March 9–19, included a dizzying array of events and activities, such as visits to company communities and facilities, special dinners, shopping, camel rides, a motorcycle rally, meetings with president and CEO Khalid Al-Falih and other top executives, music performances, an art show, and trips to Riyadh, Jiddah and the mountainous and picturesque Asir region in the Southwest. Retired Aramcon Ali Baluchi was general coordinator of the massive event and chairman of the Reunion Organizing Committee. Baluchi has attended annuitant reunions held in the United States over the last 30 years. ■
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(1) Craig “Dusty” Miller and his wife, Harriet, are all smiles at a reunion gathering in Dhahran. Miller, an attorney, first arrived in Dhahran in 1952 with his parents and brother, Randy; his dad was in Benefits, and his mom hosted a cooking show on Aramco TV in 1958–59. (2) Attending an annuitant event in Dhahran were, from right, president and CEO Khalid Al-Falih; Mohammed Saeed Al-Ali, a sponsoring businessman of the reunion; and Anne Barger Hebert, daughter of former president and CEO Tom Barger. (3) At an annuitant gathering at Sunset Beach, former Dhahran School principal Bill Riley donned traditional Saudi attire for a photo with his wife, Ernestine, and their daughters, Crystal Brennan, left, and Kelly Healy, right. (4) Former president and CEO Abdallah S. Jum’ah enjoys a photo op with John Tarbell, son of annuitants Steve and Joanna Tarbell of Wellesley, Massachusetts, in the United States.
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Photos by Stephen L. Brundage, Bert Seal and the Saudi Aramco Photo Unit (5) Two annuitants visit Dhahran’s Well No. 7, the company’s first commercially productive well, which struck oil in 1938. (6) More than 300 motorcycles roared around Dhahran March 12 for the community’s 2nd annual bike rally. (7) Tears streamed down Essa Al-Dossary’s cheeks as he reunited with long-time friend and former colleague Shaikh Amin, who was a company photographer. (8) Volunteer tour leader Nasrin Fazrin, left, helps annuitants bargain for deals at the local gold souk. (9) Reunion volunteer tour leader Carolyn Collins asked former Aramco photographer Bert Seal to take this photo of her by the iconic Hofuf fort. (10) Annuitant Handy Battenbough watches calves at the camel market in Hofuf. (11) Former Aramco employee Ali Baluchi, chairman of the reunion organizing committee, has attended annual annuitant reunions in the United States for 30 years.
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(12) A man and boy take a flying leap off a sand dune at Half Moon Bay during a reunion fun day and barbecue there. (13) Among the many entertainment events for visiting annuitants and their families was this Saudi traditional music troupe from the Eastern Province. (14) For many former Aramcons and their families, sailing was a part of their lives in the Kingdom. So a chance to set sail in the Arabian Gulf waters at Ras Tanura or Half Moon Bay was steeped with nostalgia.
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News Dimensi ns RAFIE BIDS FAREWELL
In 1992, he became vice president of Northern Area Producing. In 1993, he became vice president of Employee Relations and Training, followed in 1997 by an assignenior Vice President Mohamed Yusof Rafie, one of ment as vice president of Petroleum Engineering and Saudi Aramco’s most prominent and respected leadDevelopment. ers, retired Dec. 31, 2008, after a sterling 38-year career In June 2000, he was named senior vice president of with the company. Gas Operations, and in 2001, he became senior vice presiOriginally from western Saudi Arabia, Rafie will admit dent of Industrial Relations. As the company’s gas explohe didn’t know much about the Eastern Province when he ration and production business expanded, he again was was first hired. He began his career with Saudi Aramco in chosen, in 2005, to lead the Gas Operations business line as its senior vice president. “I believe in the people,” Rafie said. And this spirited generosity and compassion for his employees is one of the positive, lasting marks he leaves behind. “Yusof Rafie has reached the pinnacle of great leader. His devotion to the success of Saudi Aramco and the country as a whole is unsurpassed. He will truly be missed,” said president ‘I believe in the people,’ Yusof Rafie, at left, said on his retirement and CEO Abdallah S. Jum‘ah from Saudi Aramco. Above: Rafie and former president and CEO Abdallah Jum‘ah, right, talk with a young girl at a company event. at a retirement gathering for the departing Rafie. Rafie has played an integral role in the petroleum 1970 as an engineer and speaks fervently about his first industry. In addition to holding multiple positions within days with the company. “We chased rigs from one place the company, Rafie has held membership on the board of to another,” he said. the General Organization of Social Insurance and the SocieRafie has had a long and prolific career, working in ty of Petroleum Engineers (SPE), where he has been a direcvarious jobs in drilling and production operations. In tor of the Saudi Arabian section for the past 11 years and 1981, he was promoted to manager of the Ras Tanura became director of the Middle East Region in June 1997. Producing Department. During his entire career, he stressed diligent work and ‘(Yusof Rafie’s) devotion In 1985, he was named useful achievement over position or status. His oft-stated general manager of to the success of philosophy was “make your mark by working hard, leadSafaniyah Producing Saudi Aramco and ing by example.” and, in 1986, general the country as a Rafie studied at Cairo University, where he earned a manager of Petroleum whole is unsurpassed.’ Engineering. bachelor of science degree in petroleum engineering, and — ABDALLAH S. JUM‘AH he later participated in two prestigious programs in the In 1991, he served United States: the Management Development Program at as executive director of Georgetown University and the Executive Development Petroleum Engineering and Development, and then held Program at Cornell University. the same position in Northern Area Producing.
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PHOTOS: SALAH A. AL-ALWAN
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Addressing members of SPE’s Saudi Arabia Section at the organization’s recent 50th anniversary gathering were president and CEO Khalid Al-Falih, at left, and section chairperson Hiba Dialdin.
SPE SECTION CELEBRATES 50TH
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Society of Petroleum Engineers (SPE) celebrated its 50th anniversary at a Jan. 26 dinner meeting. “The wonderful turnout of our members is heartwarming and indicates that our growth is not just empty numbers, but signifies an interested and involved membership, eager to give and to benefit,” said section chairperson Hiba Dialdin, a Saudi Aramco petroleum engineer and the only female SPE section chairperson outside North America. “Today is a chance to honor the vision and foresight of the founders of the Saudi Arabia Section of SPE — to thank the generations of men and women who helped to build the organization and who steered it through periods of momentous change in our nation, in our industry and in our companies,” Saudi Aramco president and CEO Khalid A. Al-Falih told SPE members in his speech. The group, formed Jan. 16, 1959, was the first SPE section outside North America. This anniversary, AlFalih said, provides members the opportunity to reflect on lessons of the past while looking to challenges of the future, as Saudi Aramco’s 75th Anniversary did in 2008. Al-Falih’s SPE speech was one of his first since he became company president and CEO on Jan. 1, and appropriately so, he noted, given the important relationship between the company and SPE. “Consider the incredible volume and value of the oil and gas resources that have been entrusted to the members of this section to steward: fully a fifth of the world’s proven reserves of crude oil and the planet’s fourth
largest reserves of natural gas,” he said. “Because this section plays such a distinctive role in the upstream segment of our business … there is a tremendous amount riding on the work of this organization.” Former chairperson Sami Neaim said of the section’s 50 years, “During those years, the SPE grew very fast from few members to over 2,000 members and from a small section to one of the top three sections worldwide. It grew from a society with limited resources and activities to a society which won the SPE international President’s Award for Excellence.”
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AMMAM — A major new development is taking shape at Dammam’s King Abdulaziz Port. Saudi Aramco’s Offshore Projects Division recently celebrated the beginning of fabrication activities for four offshore platforms at the newly constructed STAR Fabrication Facility.
A welder demonstrates his craft for visiting Saudi Aramco officials at the new Star Fabrication Facility in Dammam, which produces offshore platforms.
News Dimensi ns It is Saudi Arabia’s first in-Kingdom offshore-facilities fabrication yard and the centerpiece of the new long-term agreement (LTA) contract awarded to a consortium among Snamprogetti Saudi Arabia Ltd., Saipem, TAQA and Al-Rushaid Fabrications Co. Ltd. (STAR). The LTA required the contractor to build an inKingdom, full-service fabrication yard and offshore support base capable of constructing the company’s increasing number of offshore well platforms and pipelines. The STAR facility, covering 300,000 square meters and capable of fabricating 14,000 metric tons of structural steel per year, will directly employ about 900 workers, presenting significant opportunities for local employment and local businesses. The entire facility, incorporating the latest in fabrication technologies, was engineered, procured and constructed in just over one year. Northern Area Projects Department manager Abdulaziz I. Fallatah said, “In addition to advancing Saudi Aramco’s business objectives, this new state-of-the-art facility also achieves the company’s goals of stimulating the Saudi economy and developing Saudi nationals in the highly skilled offshore fabrication industry.” Training of the initial group of Saudi nationals in skilled crafts has begun in earnest and is proceeding according to plan.
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KAUST WELCOMES STUDENTS, STAFF, FA CULTY TO UNIVERSITY
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IDDAH — Hundreds of international and Saudi stu-
dents, faculty and staff of King Abdallah University of Science and Technology (KAUST) descended on Jiddah as 2009 began, with one goal in mind: to prepare for the start of school in September and to familiarize themselves with Saudi society, with each other and with their university as it transforms from virtual status to physical existence. During the week of activities, Jan. 4–11, the group heard from H.E. Ali I. Al-Naimi, Minister of Petroleum and Mineral Resources, who told them that the biggest question on his mind since the development of KAUST began was “whether or not we would be able to attract the highest caliber of students and faculty.” From the very beginning, he said, “We have set our sights on reaching the brightest students, brimming with potential, from around the world, ready to learn from their mentors and from one another, ripe to begin making a contribution to the progress of humanity.” Al-Naimi said planners also Left: H.E. Ali I. Al-Naimi is joined by Saudi Aramco president and CEO Khalid A. Al-Falih and KAUST president Choon Fong Shih to greet students who will begin their studies at the new university in September. Below: Students look over a model of the campus.
500 JOIN TO CLEAN UP QURAYYAH BEACH
Q
URAYYAH — More than 500 participants from
Even before school begins, a community feeling is being built in a team-building workshop.
have applied this singular objective with regard to recruiting faculty. “As I stand here before more than 330 students who will make up part of the inaugural class of KAUST, I know that we have achieved one of our goals.” Activities included visits to old Jiddah, museums, art galleries and malls, and sea trips. Students participated in team-building workshops, experienced what life at KAUST would look like and learned what they needed to know about moving to its campus. Faculty and students formed groups by fields of study to be introduced and to discuss curricula aimed at changing the traditional ways of learning and research. That’s another subject Al-Naimi raised, when he told the gathering, “KAUST is a catalyst for transforming Saudi Arabia into a knowledge society, and to establish the intellectual foundation that will generate new technological innovations and groundbreaking scientific discoveries.” Al-Naimi also quoted King Abdallah’s description of KAUST as a source of knowledge that will serve as a bridge between people and cultures. Indeed, KAUST seemed to have reached its objectives as it ended the orientation trip. In a festive environment, the cultural bridges were constructed and were being crossed, long before the students were to begin postgraduate schooling Sept. 5. More than 330 students and their professors and administration staff from 60 nationalities roamed around Saudi Aramco’s recreational facilities.
‘Udhailiyah, Dhahran, Abqaiq and other locations came together recently to put corporate social responsibility to work, as the Sea Water Injection Department (SWID) led other organizations in an Environmental Day and Clean-Up at Qurayyah Beach. SWID manager Bahjat M. Zayed welcomed the participants for a day of activities that covered environmental education, cleaning, health and safety. Zayed emphasized the importance of Qurayyah not only as a recreational facility but also as a source of water used in Saudi Aramco’s oil production. He said the valuable resource was being threatened by an influx of marine debris. The program started with a push to pick up debris both on the beach and under the water. More than 957 kilograms of trash was collected, including dead aquatic animals. Laine Espillo collected 50 kg of trash; Johnny Dela Cruz, 47 kg; and Salman Al-Jassim, 44 kg. Under the surface, the teams of Don Salera, Roslind Sadai and Mar Monforte collected 35.5 kg, and Waleed Saafarji and Nada Al-Marhoon collected 32.3 kg. All won prizes for their efforts. Abqaiq, Ras Tanura, ‘Udhailiyah and Dhahran diving clubs all participated in the event, representing five nationalities and including the first female Saudi diver to take part. The second phase concentrated on educational activities, demonstrations and exhibits. The Marine Department Below left: Rashid Al-Dossary of the Abqaiq Dive Club picks up soda cans that had been thrown in the water. Below right: Adil Marghalani and his daughter Linah pick up trash at Qurayyah Beach, joining about 500 others in shared social responsibility.
News Dimensi ns brought an “Air Tractor” to show how Saudi Aramco uses aircraft for quicker, more efficient treatment of oil spills. They also brought the ‘Ain Dar 7, one of the largest offshore emergency, deep-water, anti-pollution vessels in the Middle East. For many of the participants, it was the first and possibly only time they would see such equipment. The Abqaiq Fire Department concluded the demonstrations by showing participants what to do when smoke or fire break out at home or work. A large exhibition used information technology, combining video, audio and live presenters to educate visitors. Industrial Services (Marine and Transportation departments); Information Technology; Community Services; Medical Services; Safety and Industrial Security (Abqaiq Loss Prevention and Fire departments); and Engineering Services (Environmental Protection Department) were among admin areas that contributed to the exhibition. Children competed to color a “You and Your Environment” booklet, with Nuwaf A. Aziz, Carmella B. Sabut and Eisaa Al-Saleebi declared winners. More prizes were awarded to those who completed an environmental quiz developed by SWID. The winners were Mariam Al-Sohaib, Rahat Tabassum, Shemookh Bugshan and Emad Al-Juaidan. Participants left laden with gifts, booklets and lots of information. Thanks went out to the Society of Advocates and Volunteers for the Environment and SWID employees for their vital involvement.
FUJIAN RECEIVES 1ST SAUDI CRUDE
F
UJIAN — The QingLanShan crude oil terminal at the
Fujian Refinery in China was inaugurated Feb. 16 with a ceremony and the arrival of the first cargo of Saudi crude oil. The QingLanShan terminal is the crude-oil receiving port of the Fujian Refining and Petrochemical Co. Ltd. (FREP) joint venture. The terminal was built to handle very large crude carriers, those with a 300,000-ton capacity. FREP is developing a world-class integrated refining and petrochemical manufacturing com‘The arrival of the plex. It is being develArabian crude oil to oped jointly by Fujian this terminal signifies Petrochemical Co. Saudi Aramco’s supply Ltd., Saudi Aramco commitment as a Sino Co. Ltd. (SASC) shareholder.’ and ExxonMobil China Petroleum — IBRAHIM AL-BUAINAIN and Petrochemical Co. Ltd, a joint venture established March 31, 2007. The 900,000-barrel cargo of Arabian Extra Light was carried by the tanker Cosbright Lake from Ras Tanura to the QingLanShan terminal, in the southeastern Chinese province of Fujian. The project, which includes a 240,000-barrel-per-day refinery and will produce 2.2 million metric tons of petrochemicals a year, is in its final stage of construction. The FREP expansion is expected to be onstream during the first half of this year. Officials from the local Fujian government and Officials from the local Fujian government, Sinopec and shareholder representatives, including Saudi Aramco representative Ibrahim Q. Al-Buainain, celebrate the inauguration of the QingLanShan terminal.
Sinopec, and shareholders’ representatives attended the ceremony. On behalf of Saudi Aramco, Ibrahim Q. Al-Buainain, director of Asia Joint Ventures, delivered a speech to the assembled dignitaries, congratulating the FREP-JV team on the successful operation of the terminal. “With the inauguration of this deep-water terminal, FREP-JV is demonstrating its readiness to help meet China’s domestic oil demand as well as future demand. “The arrival of the Arabian crude oil to this terminal signifies Saudi Aramco’s supply commitment as a shareholder, and I would like to assure you that a stream of Saudi Arabian crude is now making its steady flow to Fujian Province and that it will continue for many generations,” Al-Buainain said.
INVENTION STREAMLINES CORROSION PROTECTION
D
HAHRAN — A new method of injecting corrosion
inhibitor into gas streams involves lower temperatures, fewer chemicals and less cost, and it recently earned the company U.S. Patent No. 7,452,390. The method, called “Controlled Superheating of Natural Gas for Transmission,” was invented by Hani H. Al-Khalifa of the North Ghawar Producing Department, Abdulrahman H. Al-Abdullatif of the Sea Water Injection Department, and former employees Donald Delevan and Timothy Wilson. Crude oil flows to 32 gas-oil separation plants (GOSPs) in Southern Area Oil Operations. GOSPs separate oil from associated gas and water. The oil goes to Abqaiq Plants, and the associated gas goes to ‘Uthmaniyah and Shedgum Gas Plants for further processing. To protect hundreds of kilometers of gastransfer lines, a costly corrosion inhibitor is injected into the stream before it leaves the GOSPs. The gas typically leaves the GOSP at 74 degrees C with 3.78 liters of enhanced corrosion inhibitor injected for every million standard cubic feet of gas.
The graphic above outlines a new method of injecting corrosion inhibitor into gas streams. The patented invention means lower temperatures, fewer chemicals and less expense.
Before the invention, the amount of chemical was manually controlled, sometimes resulting in too much or too little chemical being injected and subsequent pipeline repairs. Since the chemicals cost millions of dollars a year, an engineering team was assigned to look into what could be done to reduce this cost without jeopardizing the safety of gas transfer lines. After three years of research, they concluded that the gas temperature could be reduced to 54 degrees C, and, since the amount of chemical required is dependent on the gas temperature, the inhibitor could be reduced by 50 percent without adverse effects on the plants. Realizing that the process would require frequent changes to GOSP processes, the inventors designed an automated system that reads parameters such as gas
Co-inventors of the new process are Hani H. Al-Khalifa of North Ghawar Producing, above right; Abdulrahman H. AlAbdullatif of Sea Water Injection, above left; and former employees Donald Delevan and Timothy Wilson.
Spring 2009 37
News Dimensi ns flow and temperature and calculates the optimum temperature. The new system then controls the amount of corrosion inhibitor that is injected. The invention, once implemented throughout the company, is expected to reduce the amount of corrosion inhibitor by about 50 percent. But that’s not all. It also will ensure that gas transfer pipelines are always protected without wasting expensive chemicals, the lower gas temperatures will prolong the life of pipelines and facilities and the drop in pressure will require less power.
‘UDHAILIYAH DIVERSITY Saudi Aramco community ‘Udhailiyah’s first Festival of Culture produced a dazzling variety of people and colors. Below: Three women from Nigeria were brightly attired in their national dress for the event. Bottom: Students displayed their national flags and vivid outfits with pride.
HALF MARATHON DRAWS 11,000
H
OUSTON — On Jan. 19, a record number of runners turned out for the Aramco Houston Half Marathon and began the 13.1-mile odyssey through the streets of Houston and cheering crowds. It was the fifth year that Aramco Services Co. (ASC) has served as the race’s title sponsor, and it was the fifth year of record-setting participation. Nearly 11,000 runners registered, and the race sold out in record time, six months in advance. “It is a great honor to support the Aramco Houston Half Marathon as it grows in size and stature, and to see so many positive values in action — a commitment to excellence, endurance, personal achievement and competition,” said Ali A. Abuali, ASC president and CEO. “Our support is part of our commitment to practicing good corporate citizenship and giving back to the local community, and it is also a credit to the hundreds of ASC volunteers who help make the event such a success.” As in previous years, the half marathon drew runners from across the United States and around the world. As the site of the USA Half Marathon Championships, it also attracted a number of elite athletes, including Olympian and silver-medalist Meb Keflezighi who won the men’s half marathon with a time of 1:01, a personal half-marathon best by three seconds. “I’ve won 15 or 16 national championships, but this one is most special,” said Keflezighi, who suffered a serious injury in 2008. “I wasn’t sure how soon I could get back out and run after my injury, so this is the sweetest win I have ever had.” The half marathon also was a triumph for Magdalena Boulet, who won the women’s race with a time of 1:11. It was her first U.S. title. The half marathon is part of a same-day multi-race event that includes the Chevron Houston Marathon and the El Paso 5K. It is the city’s largest single-day sporting event, and requires thousands of volunteers. Nearly
350 ASC volunteers came out to support the race this year, which set a company record over previous years. As a result of employees’ friends and family members, the number of volunteers was more than ASC’s total employee population.
AOC MOVES OFFICE BACK TO THE HAGUE
L
EIDEN, Netherlands — The Aramco Overseas Co.
Top: Wearing bright orange T-shirts, ASC volunteers meet runners at the end of the Aramco Houston Half Marathon and recognize their accomplishments with finisher medals and T-shirts. Above: Houston mayor Bill White, back row, fourth from left, joins ASC and PMT management at the starting line of the race, where he thanked ASC for its five years of support for the city’s largest single-day sporting event. Inset below: Magdalena Boulet was the winner of the women’s half-marathon race; it was her first title in the United States. Below: Olympian Meb Keflezighi crosses the Aramco Houston Half Marathon finish line first, breaking the tape held by Ali Abuali, right, and Yanbu‘ Project Director Mohammad S. Al-Subhi.
office in Holland is moving back to the future. Established in 1948 in Rome, Italy, AOC moved in 1952 to The Hague, setting up base in several different locations before finally settling down three years later in Laan van Meerdervoort 55. Thirty-two years later, in 1984, AOC relocated to Leiden, moving into a purpose-built building on Plesmanlaan, before moving to its Schuttersveld offices in 1988. But now, in 2009, AOC is going back home to The Hague. “The new offices meet our needs perfectly,” said AOC managing director Ahmed Alzayyat. “Not only do they reflect the image of Saudi Aramco but offer our employees with a working environment that will improve job satisfaction and enhance productivity.” It cannot have escaped anyone’s attention that the search for a new building to accommodate its growing workforce has been active for the past couple of years. “The message from the managing director was clear,” said Martin Wingrove, who heads the new office building team. “Find a building and location that represents our position as Europe and Asia headquarters of the world’s largest oil company, without compromising our ability to provide our usual high quality services to our company.” Acting on this directive, the appointed “house-hunting” committee searched high and low throughout the Randstad urban area, importantly taking into account the effect a move would have on commuting convenience for the workforce. “Based on postcodes of each and every employee, Leidschendam (five kilometers from The Hague) is the residential “center point” for our employees,” said Wingrove. “So there was no doubt that The Hague was always at the top of the list.” Finally, just before the end of 2008, an announcement
Spring 2009 39
News Dimensi ns ARAMCO GETS KEYS TO FINAL STRATEGIC STORAGE SITE
A
L-QASIM — Saudi Aramco officially took control
Aramco Overseas Co.’s spacious new office complex in The Hague, The Netherlands.
was made revealing the new building’s location to all employees. AOC is moving back to The Hague where its new “home” is to be Scheveningseweg 62-66. “Finding a stand-alone building to accommodate all of our employees, our parking needs and in a location that is convenient for the majority of our workforce was indeed a challenge,” said Patricia Cromberge, who will coordinate the building renovation and move. “So we were delighted to find this building.” The new AOC office is situated close to a picturesque woods and consists of an impressive entrance/ reception with five floors spread over East and West wings. With a total of almost 5,500 square meters of office space and 116 underground parking spaces, it will comfortably house all AOC employees under one roof.
40 Saudi Aramco Dimensions
of the al-Qasim Strategic Storage Site recently with a ceremony for the signing of the initial delivery certificate. Mustafa M. Al-Mahdi, manager of the Domestic Sales and Logistics Department and Saudi Aramco’s Saudi Strategic Storage Project (SSSP) representative, thanked those in attendance and complimented the parties on their cooperation during the construction and commissioning of the project. He said that cooperation was an extension of the spirit that prevailed during the development of the storage sites in Riyadh, Jiddah, Abha and Madina. Those four sites are operated, maintained and managed by Saudi Aramco, he said, using the highest safety standards during implementation and commissioning. HE Musa‘id A. Al-Sayigh, director general of SSSP, praised Saudi Aramco for its constructive role in implementing the mega-project. At the end of the celebration, Al-Mahdi thanked all those who worked on the project and expressed his appreciation for their dedication and cooperation in the interests of the Kingdom. This is the fifth and last of the strategic storage sites to be delivered to Saudi Aramco for management and operation, and they have become integral components of the company’s petroleum distribution network. Saudi Aramco and the storage program coordinate to meet the Kingdom’s need for petroleum products during peak demand, Al-Mahdi said. The sites also have provided Saudi Aramco with the flexibility to perform periodic maintenance on refineries without transporting refined products from one area to another. ■
Saudi Aramco and SSSP officials gather for the awarding of the key to the new Al-Qasim storage site.
Saudi Aramco Dimensions Public Relations Department East Administration Building, Room 2210-B Dhahran 31311, Saudi Arabia
Saudi Aramco Scrapbook
his beguiling image of a veiled woman is similar to photographs in a much-exhibited series titled “Look Beyond the Veil” by Saudi Aramco employee and creative photographer Manal Al-Dowayan, most recently supervisor of the Corporate Identity and Design Unit and currently a resident artist with the Delfina Foundation in London. The model in this Scrapbook photo is wearing a headdress style traditional in the Kingdom’s southern region, and the photo is one in a series of photos Al-Dowayan shot at roughly the same time of headdress styles in the country’s different regions to explore the meaning of the veil. Al-Dowayan said she prefers to shoot in black and white, using simple techniques, and in this photo, she used one studio light with a soft-box at aperture F11 and a shutter speed of 60. AlDowayan’s “Look Beyond the Veil” series has been exhibited locally and internationally. >> Submit photos for Saudi Aramco Scrapbook (on disk, as photo print or via e-mail) to Rick Snedeker, Saudi Aramco, East Administration Building, Room 2210-B, Dhahran 31311, Saudi Arabia. Glossy prints should be 8x10 inches if possible and digitals at least 300 dpi and 8x10 size. E-mail:
[email protected]