Manifa
where every grain of sandand every drop of water tells a story• Copywriter:
Adil Ahmad Al-Sadiq, Editorial Consultant, Publishing Division, Saudi Aramco• Editorial:
Suha Matar, Fareed Ramadan• Supervision:
Essam Z. Tawﬁq, General Manager, Public Affairs, Saudi Aramco
Haitham Khalil Al-Jehairan, Publishing Director, Saudi Aramco• Photography:
Musleh Al-Khathami and Saudi Aramco Archives• Creative:
Vahid Associates Brand Futurists• Design:
Imtiaz Ahmed, Prakash Sriramalu• Reviewed:
Abdulwahab Bozaid, Mansi Phadke Kamath
Printed at Union Press, BahrainFirst Edition - December 2015
All rights reserved, Saudi Aramco©
www.saudiaramco.com
Published by: Public Relations Department, Saudi Aramco
Room No. 1020, North Administration Building No. 175
PO Box 5000 Dhahran 31311
Kingdom of Saudi Arabia
All Rights Reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced,
stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in any form by any means,electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise, without
the written permission of the publisher.

ISBN: 978-99958-2-154-8
Deposit in Public Library Code: 779/‫ع‬.‫د‬/2015

Manifa
where every grain of sand andevery drop of water tell a story

Contents
Chapter I

5

Protecting the Ecosystem
A Global Responsibility

Chapter II

19Achieving the Dream

Chapter III

45

Manifa: Weaving Inspiration and Distinction

Chapter IV

107

The Tale of Manifa

Chapter V

119

A Culture of Prosperity and Futuristic Development

Chapter VI
Corporate Social Responsibility

135

Manifa: An Introduction
The Manifa oil ﬁeld was discovered in 1957, making it one of the oldest
offshore ﬁelds in the Kingdom. The six-reservoir ﬁeld, situated 255 kilometers
northwest of Dhahran, measures approximately 45 km in length and 18 km inwidth. It lies offshore in less than 15 meters of water.

Manifa’s production of heavy Arabian crude was allocated to supply the
SATORP reﬁnery in Jubail and YASREF reﬁnery in Yanbu’ — our two joint
ventures with France’s Total, and China’s Sinopec respectively, both of which
are designed to handle this kind of oil.

The Manifa ﬁeld was brought onstream in 1964, with facilities capable ofhandling 125,000 barrels of oil per day (bpd). However, due to global low
crude oil demand, coupled with very low prices ($2 a barrel), production from
the Manifa ﬁeld was halted in 1984.

As the ﬁfth largest oil ﬁeld in the world and one of Saudi Aramco’s mostchallenging ﬁelds to develop, Manifa features the utilization of the best
technologies in infrastructure operations, drilling and production. The ﬁeld
development team also achieved nearly 80 million working hours without
injury to score one of the highest global safety levels, and in 2012 it received
an award as the best innovative oil project in the world.

A quarter of a century later, a rise in global demand for oil and an increase in
prices to unprecedented levels at that time brought about an historic change.
In accordance with the Kingdom’s commitment to responding to theincreasing global demands of its customers, Saudi Aramco renewed thedevelopment of the Manifa ﬁeld in 2007 — one of the several developmental
project aimed at increasing our maximum capacity to 12.5M bpd.
In April 2013, the ﬁrst milestone was achieved with the commissioning of theﬁeld and central processing facilities to deliver 500,000 bpd of Arabian heavy
crude. By 2017, the ﬁeld should reach its maximum production capacity of
900,000 bpd.
Containing 350 wells with maximum depth that reaches 32,000 feet,
Manifa was developed in innovative ways, according to the best safety andenvironment-friendly standards in the world. Despite all of the hurdles andchallenges — most important of which was the global ﬁnancial crisis in 2008
— the company was successful in overcoming all obstacles to accomplish the
Manifa project three months ahead of schedule.
In addition to the realization of a dream, the Manifa success story reﬂected
the country’s wisdom and leadership in preserving natural resources for the
coming generations of our people by choosing the right time to capitalize on
these natural resources in order to achieve heightened prosperity for
the Kingdom.

The development of the Manifa project is also a shining example of Saudi
Aramco’s excellence through our 80-year history of managing megaprojects. The Manifa project has opened a whole new chapter in the ﬁeld ofinnovation, technical and creative development.
It serves as a model exemplifying the company’s basic values, especially
citizenship through the careful preservation of the environment as well as
the increasing rates of Saudization and localization of procurement.
In the designing, construction and operation of this giant and uniquely
sophisticated project, the total of locally manufactured goods exceeded
more than half of the total value of all purchases, and also featured training
programs for young Saudis in the latest technologies.
All told, the Manifa project stands as a true testament to our long-standing
commitment to meeting the growing energy needs of all of our customers— both in the Kingdom and around the world, while continuing to serve as aleading contributor to the development of Saudi Arabia as a whole, andits citizens.

The Manifa oil ﬁeld is celebrated today because of its innovative design andapproach to sustainable environmental preservation and oil production. The
conversion of the offshore ﬁeld to an onshore ﬁeld involved the constructionof 27 man-made islands, connected by a 41 km causeway.
Saudi Aramco pursued multiple facets in the development of the oil ﬁeld.
Consequently, the Manifa Bay program is energy self-sufﬁcient, and its
electrical substation cogenerates 420 megawatts of electric power — making
it the ﬁrst zero-ﬂaring project in the company.

1

The region between Hormuz and Basra is characterized by thequality of its pearls. In Qatif, Bahrain, and Julfar, as well as otherareas, the pearls are collected and sent to Hormuz.
Jan Huyghen van Linschoten, Dutch merchant and traveller, 1598
And here on the eastern shore we are
the sea, the people seen from afar.
Ghazi Algosaibi, Saudi poet
The largest hydrocarbon development project of its kind in an
offshore ﬁeld, Manifa is also differentiated by the enhancementin the skills and ability of the Saudi Aramco employee.
Mohammed Abdulkarim, Manager, Manifa Project Dept.

3

CHAPTER IPROTECTING THE ECOSYSTEMA GLOBAL RESPONSIBILITY

When Earth reveals its beauty

The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia covers
most of the Arabian Peninsula, butwhile the bulk of its vast area isdesert, its geographical terrain isrich in contrasts and diversity. From
mountains, sweeping plains, and hills
to spectacular coastlines along the
Red Sea, Arabian Gulf, and the Gulf of
Aqaba, Saudi Arabia features oases inthe deserts, springs in the mountains,and coral reefs throughout the seas, inaddition to agricultural land and palm
plantations, which sit alongside its
metropolitan cities.

6

7

Socotra cormorant(Phalacrocorax nigrogularis)

It is this distinctive landscape thathas provided the Kingdom with its
unique identity and its attributes
throughout the ages – a land inwhich the Arabian Gulf and the Red
Sea collaborate to form an integral
support for the country’s historicaland economic relations with theworld. And hidden within the seas aretreasures of marine life and a vibrantecosystem, providing a safe haven for
thousands of migratory birds that ﬂock
to its atolls every year in addition to
furnishing a fertile breeding groundfor Socotra cormorants, terns, ospreys,
herons, and seagulls.

Clark’s anemoneﬁsh (Amphiprion clarkii)

8

Along the coast of the Eastern Province of Saudi Arabia,
swamp trees, or mangroves, are abundant. Mangroves help
stabilize the shoreline and sustain coastal wetlands, essential
nursing grounds for commercial ﬁsh and shrimp.

9For centuries, residents of the Arabian Gulf region have depended on the rich fruits of thesea for their livelihood. Whether as seafaring voyagers or ﬁshermen, residents have linked
their livelihoods and occupations, as well as their cultural and social habits, with the sea. The
Arabian waterfronts share many commonalities – sea grass beds, coral reefs, mangroves, andmudﬂats, all of which contribute to the productivity of the area’s marine resources and connect
the area’s diverse inhabitants.

1

2

10

3

4

5

6

Indeed, the shores of the Arabian Gulf, characterized by the diversity of their coral
reefs, shallow waters, temperature, and salinity, are home to over 300 species of ﬁsh,mammals, reptiles, and migrant birds. Saudi Arabia itself shelters approximately threequarters of the world population of Socotra cormorants, and it was in recognition of thisimportant environmental legacy that Saudi Aramco, in the years following the discoveryof oil, set out to play an active role in safeguarding the surrounding ecosystem.

1. Jellyﬁsh (Crambionella orsini)
2. Large herd of dugongs (Dugong dugon) in Gulf of Salwa
3. Corals provide shelter for marine organisms
4. Yellowﬁn hind (Cephalopholis hemistiktos)
5. Solitary sweetlips (Plectorhinchus sp.) among a school of ﬁve-lined
snapper (Lutjanus quinquelineatus)
6. Bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops sp.)

11

12

Dareen Port
A small village in the Qatif Governorate within the Eastern Province, located along
the coastline of the Arabian Gulf, Dareen is well known throughout history for its port.
Featured in ancient Greek histories, Dareen’s contemporary prominence can be traced
back to 1868, when it was recognized as an important port and a stop on world trading
routes for the distribution and exchange of goods across the region.
In recent years, Saudi Aramco undertook a commitment to expand and modernize
Dareen Port, partly to compensate local ﬁshermen who used to sail from Manifa Bay
and use its waters to catch its plentiful ﬁsh and shrimp. The company embarked
upon the Dareen Port expansion before the development of Manifa Bay to protect
local ﬁshermen and their resources from any potential harm that might rise during
the development and construction of the Manifa oil ﬁeld. In line with the company’s
overarching commitment to the environment, and social development, Saudi Aramco
entered into a partnership with the Ministry of Agriculture to create an artiﬁcial stablereef system and marine ﬁsh hatchery facilities on Abu Ali Island. These were designed
to provide ﬁshery resources and improve the livelihoods of local ﬁshermen.

13

Manifa Bay Fishermen
Ahmed Mohamed Al-Saeed

The history and trajectory of the entire Arabian Gulf
region cannot be separated from its tanned heroes – theseafarers and ﬁshermen of old, whose descendants
continue to uphold the legacy of their forefathers, albeit
in contemporary conditions, for future generations.

Abdullah Al-Salah

Jaafer Al-Safwani

Zaki Khalaf Al-Masri

From early ﬁshing techniques to modern methods andenvironmental responsibility – which take into considerationseasonal changes and requirements – today’s ﬁshermen
continue to base their livelihoods on the bountiful sea.
Supported by Saudi Aramco’s environmental vision andinitiatives planned to preserve the country’s marine life andcoastline, the social standing of Saudi Arabia’s ﬁshermen
only continues to rise.
Of the Arabian Gulf’s many ﬁsh markets, the Qatif market
is one of the largest in the entire Middle East, followed by
Jubail, Dammam, and Manama. While these have beenfurther developed over the years, the Manifa market has
also been an important focal point for local inhabitants,
including tourists and consumers who appreciate the port’s
access to substantial ﬁsheries.
Reﬂecting on the position and history of the bay in theliving memory of the inhabitants of the area, its primary
witnesses, the Manifa Bay ﬁshermen, provide illuminating
testimony. Ahmed M. Al-Saeed, a shrimp ﬁsherman whobegan his experience in Manifa Bay over 18 years ago,
describes the area as a beautiful focal point for local
residents, highlighting its popularity in spring. Al-Saeed
remembers the lush vegetation and wild rabbits andchickens that used to roam the area, noting that it remains
a popular meeting place for people seeking outdoor
recreation and pleasant weather conditions.
The Fishermen’s Habitat

Jassim Ali Al-Saeed

Mohamed Al-Hashem

The Manifa Bay seabed is distinguished by its muddinessand the absence of coral reefs. A diverse breeding grounddue to its vegetation, Al-Salah adds, “parts of the Bay areprotected. In fact, the larger ﬁshing vessels are prevented
from entering zoned areas, such as Tanajib, where ﬁshingis banned. Only hobbyists and amateur ﬁshermen are
allowed in those areas, and they can cast their ﬁshingrods without being disturbed. This is very much in keepingwith the area’s position within the local community as acommunity space and an environmental attraction.”
He also notes “Fishermen gather at Manifa Bay at the
beginning of August every year for the opening of theshrimp season. They bring their nets and cast them deep
into the seabed, enveloping the shrimp along the way.” A
different color by day, shrimp are noticeably red at night
and turn white in sunlight.
The Large Shrimp Markets
The shrimp markets in the Eastern Province are rich andabundant in produce, supporting the entire Kingdomof Saudi Arabia, as well as the wider region. This wasreiterated by Jaafar Al-Safwani, the Deputy Chair of theEastern Province Fishermen’s Society, who explained, “Thelocal ﬁsh market is an attraction to all kinds of buyers fromaround the Kingdom, be they merchants and businesses or
local families.”
While local ﬁshermen regularly descend on Manifa Bay,Al-Safwani notes that its waters and ﬁshing grounds are
popular among ﬁshermen from other parts of the Eastern
Province, including Jubail and Qatif. With 30 ﬁshing boats
currently assigned for hauling shrimp, he reminds people
that other boats are also moored at the port for various
types of ﬁshing expeditions.

For ﬁshing expert Abdullah Al-Salah, who spent many
years plying the Manifa Bay waters in addition to thosesurrounding other Arabian Gulf ports to catch local ﬁsh, thearea holds a special meaning.

Fishing“In those days,” he said, “there was a real treasure troveof ﬁsh and shrimp found in the area, unlike the catch of
today. I still remember how the Al-Gosaibi boats would
come back to shore laden with 30 to 40 tons of shrimp.
There was a proliferation of ﬁshermen.”

Making use of the tidal currents, shallow water ﬁshing isdependent on the level of the tide and the season. Duringhigh tides, the area is completely covered with water,whereas the hard sea ﬂoor is largely uncovered during
low tides.

Zaki Khalaf Al-Masri, an established Manifa Bay ﬁsherman,
highlights the two ways in which shrimp and ﬁsh arecaught in the area: shallow water versus deepwater ﬁshing.

Toward the end of summer and the beginning of thewinter season, the Bay’s ﬁsh tend to gather in the shallow
waters, close to the shore. As a result, during high tide, thearea is encircled with ﬁshing nets, which are secured using
metal pipes.

They’re clean and taste delicious because of the special
marine environment in which they grow and feed.”
A Fisherman’s Responsibility
The abundance of ﬁsh in the sea ﬂuctuates according
to the season, explains ﬁsherman Mohamed Al-Hashem.

Then when the tide begins to ebb and the ﬁsh try toreturn to the depths of the sea, the nets prevent theirescape. When all the water has gone with the low tide,
the ﬁshermen remove the trapped ﬁsh. Among the mostcommon species caught in this manner are mullet andyellowﬁn seabream.
The second common ﬁshing method involves the use ofoval ﬁsh traps thrown into the sea, with the aid of a heavystone or weight. Made with a ﬂat base, the traps attract
ﬁsh into them through a pipe-like opening, which prevents
the ﬁsh from swimming back out.
These traps have hooks or hanger-style hinges, that ﬂoat
to the surface, allowing the ﬁshermen to locate them. The
traps are used to attract and trap hamour, rabbit ﬁsh, andgrouper among others. Located to the east of Safaniyah oil
ﬁeld, local ﬁshermen have to travel 24 to 32 km to capture
their fare.
Wildlife and Sea Life
Overseeing the ﬁshermen in the Faree’ area, Jassim
Al-Saeed offers an interesting insight into the lives andsociety sustaining Manifa Bay.
“My family entered into the ﬁshing trade in Manifa Bay
over 30 years ago, and we have continued to uphold thesame tradition ever since... The area’s attraction doesn’t lie“The practices of some ﬁshermen are detrimental to sea
and marine life,” notes Al-Hashem.
Reﬂecting on the shared responsibility among the region’s
seafarers and ﬁshermen toward the safety and health ofthe marine environment, he explains, “To preserve the sea
wealth that God has bestowed upon us as the source of
the ﬁshermen’s livelihood, strict laws and regulations need
to be implemented to penalize those who harm sea life.”
An area bursting with natural wealth – from its abundantﬁsh and shrimp varieties that feed and support hundredsof thousands of individuals, to the black gold which
ﬂows from the deepest recesses of the sea ﬂoor –Manifa Bay contributes to the Kingdom’s prosperity andmeets global needs.

People may wonder why
Manifa shrimp are simply
the best in the region.
We always tell them that
Manifa shrimp are midsized and white. They’reclean and taste delicious
because of the special
marine environment inwhich they grow and feed.

solely in its sea and produce, but also in its natural beauty
and wildlife. So many people are drawn to the Manifa
area, particularly in spring when grass envelops the landand plants and trees ﬂourish, and migrant birds ﬂock tothe surrounding areas.”
He adds, “In the spring, campers stay for longer
periods, enjoying the good weather and occasional
bursts of rainfall.”
Al-Saeed observes “People may wonder why Manifa
shrimp are simply the best in the region. We always tellthem that Manifa shrimp are mid-sized and white.

15

In an area in which oil production is inextricably linked to the surrounding marine environment, with more than 85 different ﬁsh species and some 50 species of coral, it isa global responsibility to ensure that the generous waters of the Gulf are protected. Saudi Aramco embarked on a series of critical hydrodynamic and ecological studies todetermine the best possible method to drill and produce oil while maintaining and supporting the natural habitat of the area. Vital to the health of the ecosystem, the timerequired to recirculate the nutrient and oxygen-rich water, the ﬂushing of 50% of the area’s seawater, was determined to be 17 days. The challenge was to ensure that thehealth and integrity of the Manifa Bay marine system were maintained.
Saudi Aramco’s extensive research led the company to develop a design that limited the ﬂushing time to 21 days, allowing the company to continue meeting the world’s
energy demands while minimizing the change to the marine ecosystem. The resulting causeways, connecting the 27 man-made islands in the shallow waters, represent a
scaffold for marine life, attracting birds, crabs, and other marine life to the bay.
As a crossroads in both ancient times and modern, life in Saudi Arabia in the 21st century presents a picture of great diversity juxtaposed in an interdependent cycle. An
overwhelmingly youthful population lives alongside the ancient seabeds and life of the Arabian Gulf, partaking of its fruit and produce, reaping the beneﬁts of its timelessculture and history.

16

Today, Manifa Bay, Saudi Aramco, and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia itself, cannot be fully understood without appreciating the surrounding marine environment andecosystem. Shaped by changes that occurred at the end of the Ice Age, Manifa Bay waters lie on top of abundant oil and gas, but most importantly, they contain a rich
ecosystem featuring intensive algal habitats and dense beds of sea grass. As a primary source of nutrition for other marine life, Manifa Bay is the habitat for many species,
including pearl oysters, hamour, sea snakes, crabs, dolphins, shrimp, and sea turtles, among which is the endangered Hawksbill turtle. The area is also a temporary home tomigratory birds and represents an important source of income for the region’s ﬁshermen and inhabitants.
A thrilling explosion of color and life beneath the reﬂections of light at the surface, this biodiverse ecosystem is sensitive to overﬁshing and pollution. Therefore, while
Saudi Aramco works to raise awareness of the importance of sustainability among ﬁshermen and the area’s inhabitants, the preservation and conservation of thisunderwater “museum” was critical to the company’s corporate and community objectives as it embarked on technologically innovative drilling techniques in the shallow
waters of Manifa Bay.

CHAPTER IIACHIEVING THE DREAM

Manifa: A Project of Extraordinary Vision
With the setting sun, the gleaming lights of the Manifa causeway and its branches are more easily
discernible, showcasing an intricate web of roads, oil pipelines, and towering rigs – an extraordinary
network of continuous work and production.
Over the years, Saudi Aramco has conducted a broad range of technical studies to achieve the best
possible results while maintaining the ecological integrity of the project’s environs.

21

Reﬂections on the Manifa Project“The achievement at Manifa will be recognized for decades
to come as a model oil and gas project to follow, and fromwhich to learn, because of its associated successes and creative
solutions.”
HE Khalid A. Al-Falih, Chairman of the Board,
Saudi Aramco“The Manifa project was entirely designed, constructed andoperated by Saudis. It was accomplished ahead of time andunder budget. The project’s team succeeded in overcoming
many challenges and problems during the different phases ofthe project, from design to construction, until the completionof the whole project. This is something to be proud of.”Amin Nasser, President and CEO,
Saudi Aramco22

In developing Manifa Bay, Saudi Aramco actively pursued
a multifaceted approach to its environmental and technicalstudies in line with the company’s values and its corporatesocial responsibility strategy, as well as its trademark of
excellence and commitment to the highest standards ofsafety.
And so it was that in 2006, the new development programfor Manifa was launched for further advancement of
the Kingdom’s economic and social development vision.
Marking the world’s largest hydrocarbon production
increment in a single phase, it was vital to safeguard thearea’s ecosystem and environment through conservationand protection policies, execution of air pollution controls,and coastal and marine protection.
A multidisciplinary environmental strategy was developed
for construction of the central processing facility, gasoil separation plants, and 15 offshore platforms for oil
production and water injection. As the second largest
oil facility in the Kingdom, the ingenuity of the project
developed by Saudi Aramco lies in the innovative andresponsible solutions sought and executed, which led

to conversion of more than 70% of the offshore ﬁeld
into an onshore ﬁeld through the formation of 27 manmade islands, linked by a 41-km causeway. In its early
beginnings in 2007, six drilling rigs were in use, but at the
project’s peak, 30 drilling rigs were fully operational.
One of the objectives in developing the Manifa oil ﬁeld
was to produce 900,000 bpd of Arabian Heavy crude oil. By
July 2013, the project’s ﬁrst milestone of 500,000 bpd wasachieved. With more than 350 wells, and the use of water
injection wells to provide peripheral water injection as apressure maintenance scheme to support oil production,
the company reached a production level of 800,000 bpd in2015 – its target of 900,000 bpd was deferred to 2017.
This pioneering feat was accomplished through a variety of
research and technical cooperation programs from acrossthe world, but most importantly, with an emphasis on
the growth of Saudi expertise in the area. The resulting
investment in Saudi talent and knowledge transfer cannot
be underestimated. The Manifa oil ﬁeld project serves as atestament to Saudi Aramco’s commitment to the Kingdom,
the environment, and global oil market stability.

While global oil supply was boosted by the Manifa oil ﬁeld development, Saudi Aramco worked to ensure responsible
environmental stewardship of the area in addition to cultivating local talent across all stages of the project, fromconceptualization and exploration to completion and the delivery of hydrocarbons throughout the world. The company’s
impressive efforts have been applauded internationally across industry publications, including the Journal of Petroleum
Technology (JPT) and RIGZONE, while the likes of National Geographic have visited the site and ﬁlmed its work and impact.

23

Economic Value of the Manifa Bay Development

The development of the Manifa oil ﬁeld brought with it great beneﬁt to the
local economy, and this can be shown in different aspects, most importantof which are:
- Creating thousands of direct and indirect job opportunities throughout
the Kingdom.
- Supplying 3 oil reﬁneries with their need of crude oil. These reﬁneriesare:
1- SATORP, a world class reﬁnery marking a partnership between Saudi
Aramco and TOTAL.

24

2- YASREF, a joint venture between Saudi Aramco and China Petrochemical
Corporation (Sinopec).
3- Jazan Reﬁnery, wholly owned and operated by Saudi Aramco.
In turn, these reﬁneries will provide thousands of direct and indirect job
opportunities for the Saudi youth.
As for the project’s future, it is very promising as Manifa is expected toreach its maximum production capacity of 900,000 bpd by the end of 2017,
promising further growth and development.

The objective in developing the Manifa
oil ﬁeld was to produce 900,000 bpd of
Arabian Heavy crude oil. By July 2013,
the project’s ﬁrst milestone of 500,000
bpd was achieved.

25

In Manifa’s sea a bridge was built
That can be compared with no other
It was erected by ambitious hands
That achieved the impossible together
Abdulwahab Bozaid

26

27

The treasures of Manifa Bay lie in its environment– its sea life and vibrant ecosystem. Manifa Bay ishome to thousands of migratory birds that returnyear after year.

28

Abdulrahman Qahtani
Operations Division Head“The story of Manifa is very close to my heart and holds an undisputed placein both my professional and family lives. The outcome of a long journey with
Saudi Aramco’s Production and Project Management team, it played a central
role in my personal development over the last eight years. I talked about
it so much that Manifa became a common term in my wife and childrens'
vocabularies. I feel very proud and honored with this stage of my life andthis innovative project, that was like a sixth son of mine. Although theglobal ﬁnancial crisis in 2008 represented a setback for the Manifa project,
Saudi Aramco’s unwavering vision and economic foresight helped us see theprogram through, and in July 2008, three design contracts were awarded.
By the end of 2010, we had reached the construction phase and in October
2012, we were honored by the presence of HE Ali I. Al-Naimi, the Ministerof Petroleum and Mineral Resources, who inaugurated the Manifa Water
Injection Plant. This was a particularly memorable occasion as I attended theﬁrst board meeting that followed. It was a day that will linger in my memory
as long as I live. ”

29

An initiative that had a tremendous nationaland global impact, some of the most important
attributes of the Manifa Bay development
lie in generating diverse employment
opportunities for thousands of individuals
across Saudi Aramco. This is most evident
in the development of the Manifa Central
Processing Facility, which has three identicalgas-oil separation plants (GOSPs) to process
900,000 bpd of Arabian Heavy crude oil. Eachof these is designed to treat 300,000 bpd forexport to other reﬁneries in the Kingdom –YASREF, Yanbu’, and Jazan. Thousands of work
opportunities have also been created for Saudi
citizens in different areas of the Kingdom. In
fact, 80% of the workforce represented newhires, from Professional Development Program(PDP) engineers to apprentice graduates in
Operation and Maintenance.

30

Four highways were constructed in 2009 at the crossroads of Manifa, Nu’ayriah, Ras Tanajib, and Safaniyah toensure safe passage for Saudi Aramco employees.

31

32

33

A highly skilled team of Saudi engineers oversaw thedesign and development of the mega-project from itsvery outset until its launch in April 2013.

34

In line with Saudi Aramco’s human capital development program andinvestment in Saudi talent, new and young Saudi staff are trainedby expert employees in dedicated workshops for the operationand maintenance of the oil ﬁeld’s machinery. The varied training
programs and courses include specialized training workshops withequipment manufacturers abroad.

Manifa has held a special place in the hearts of the inhabitants of
Saudi Arabia’s Eastern Province for centuries due to their relationshipwith the sea and the wealth it has provided them, from ﬁsheries to alucrative pearl trade and more recently, the treasure of its black gold.

Saudi Aramco’s highest priority remains to
support the Kingdom’s development. With astrong sense of responsibility for environmental
preservation, execution of the Manifa oil ﬁeld
development involved the support of numerous
specialized departments – from the initial project

conceptualization to its planning, design, andimplementation phases. It is envisioned that
Manifa oil production will have a tremendous
impact on the world energy market, in addition
to supporting domestic suppliers to reach a wider
international network.

35

Saudi talent
actively involved
in Manifa
development

36

A sense of environmental
responsibility and stewardshipunderscored Saudi Aramco’s
approach to the development of
Manifa Bay and its positioning
in the world market forhydrocarbon production.

37

Saudi Aramco uses its extensive
resources to undertake activities that
support the infrastructure developmentof the Kingdom, as well as the personal
and professional growth of Saudi
citizens, in addition to environmental
stewardship and the development of aknowledge-based economy

38

39

40

Throughout time inhabitants of the Gulf region
have lived in continuous harmony with theirmarine environment. Whether trading in ﬁshor the sea’s shallow treasure of pearls, therelationship with the surrounding sea has
always been strong. It was only with the decline
in the world pearl trade that the region’s oil was
explored and brought ﬂowing to the surface.

41

The Commitment to Excellence andSuperior Standards
The triumph of the Manifa oil ﬁeld development
project, felt within Saudi Arabia and throughout therest of the world – is a result of the serious dedicationof Saudi Aramco and its partner companies to thefostering of a culture of awareness about health, safety,
and environment, as well as a commitment to upholdthe highest standards in those areas.
This national mega-project, as it has come to be known,
was devised in line with the Kingdom’s economic

42

direction – the diversiﬁcation and further developmentof national revenue sources while enhancing thecountry’s primary source of wealth. Subsequently,
Saudi Aramco embarked on an immense human capitaldevelopment program, marking its responsibility andfundamental role within the country’s economy for
future generations.

43

CHAPTER III
MANIFA: WEAVING INSPIRATION AND DISTINCTION

46

Beauty in the depths of the Arabian Gulf

47

Facts and Figures48

9,00080

213

kilometers of pipes and cables usedin the project’s development, bothabove and under water

million construction man-hours
dedicated to the project’s
development, without alost-time injury

kilometers drilled in the oil ﬁeld,
equivalent to the distance from
Manifa Bay to Dhahran

30

35,00027

rigs built and operated to drill
the wells for the Manifa oil ﬁeld
development

feet in length, marking the longest
horizontal well Saudi Aramco hasever drilled

man-made drilling islands,
distinguishing the Manifa oil ﬁeld
development on the world stage

45

21,00017

million cubic meters of sand reclaimed
from environmentally nonsensitive
locations along the seabed during theconstruction of the causeway

people representing 25 different
nationalities constituting theworkforce during its peaklead contractors participatingin the development

4

11

246

intersecting bridges constructed
between Manifa, Nu’ayriah, Tanajib,and Safaniyah to ensure safe
passage of people

million tons of rock safely transported
to Manifa from quarries in the Riyadh
area, more than 600 km away, without
signiﬁcant highway disruption

cranes used in the construction phaseof the project

136,149

1,000

159

engineering drawings and plansdeveloped for the project

trucks on the road at any given time
during the project’s developmentbuildings erected for the project49

Manifa: Weaving Inspiration and Distinction

For Saudi Aramco, the Manifa Bay development was along-running project whose intricacies and technologicalinnovation resemble a work of art for all its participants.
Although the ﬁeld was closed down in 1984 due to low
global demand for Arabian Heavy crude oil, this marked
only the beginning of another innovative journey for theoil industry.
The feasibility studies undertaken by the oil giant
indicated that the ﬁeld’s development required a new
approach that took into consideration the importance of50

environmental preservation and the limitations of theshallow water conditions of the Arabian Gulf. Therefore,
in 2006, a new development program was undertaken
for Manifa Bay with an initial investment of $10 billion,
in which the area’s design and environmental planning
took on a new meaning.

development now included vast onshore facilities: a

The evaluation examined various scenarios for
optimizing output while taking into consideration thearea’s needs. It was found that the development ofreclaimed islands with a connecting causeway would
be the best technical, ﬁnancial, and environmental
solution. By creating a causeway, offshore platforms
and extensive dredging would be avoided and Manifa
Bay would be converted into a partially onshore ﬁeld,
cutting costs signiﬁcantly for Saudi Aramco. The models
developed for the area indicated that a primary 20 km
causeway and 25 islands would have to be built, linked
through an array of lateral causeways measuring 21 km
in total length.

for crude oil fell considerably. This led Saudi Aramco

Over 70% of the ﬁeld was thus converted to an onshoreﬁeld. The converted ﬁeld had 27 drilling islands (eachthe size of ten soccer ﬁelds), a 2,400-meter bridge aswell as ﬁve 150-meter and eight 50-meter bridges
connected to the main causeway to maintain tidal
ﬂow and water circulation, critical requirements forthe preservation of marine life. A vital contributor to
the production of hydrocarbons, the Manifa oil ﬁeld

central facility for processing of oil and gas; a water
network; water injection facilities; and extensive
pipelines to transport the product.
However, the global economic crisis was to impact
the Manifa program as in 2008, prices and demand
to apply a temporary freeze on project procurement
activities to reduce capital costs. In addition, contractor
agreements were re-negotiated and a new partnershipstrategy developed whereby both the contractors andSaudi Aramco could share overall savings, substantiallydecreasing costs. In this way, the global recession did
not prevent the project from progressing. And in 2013,
production at Manifa Bay commenced three months
ahead of schedule and more than $1 billion underbudget. Completion of this mega-project in Manifa
marked the world’s largest hydrocarbon production
increment in a single phase.
Outstanding facets of the Manifa Bay facility:• 27 man-made drilling islands, interconnected by acauseway reaching 41 km in length• 13 offshore platforms for water injection and oil
production• A central processing plant including facilitiesfor gas-oil separation, gas treatment facilities,a laboratory for water injection, andcogeneration plants.
• Extensive crude oil gathering and water injection
pipelines, built into the offshore platforms, thecauseway, and Manifa and Tanajib drill sites, inaddition to water injection pipeline systems.

• Downstream pipelines transporting stabilized
crude to the Ju’aymah tank farm, and gas andcondensate to the Khursaniyah Gas Plant for
further processing.

• An energy self-sufﬁcient facility, with an electricalsubstation cogenerating 420 megawatts of electric
power and steam.

51

In 2007, an extensive evaluation was launched to develop an
effective solution for extracting oil from the shallow offshoreﬁeld. This led to the award of 30 major prime contracts, which
included international and national construction ﬁrms.

52

“We set so many
challenging goals,
important caveats, andbenchmarks. There wasa lot of innovation. We
looked at ways andmeans to challenge
ourselves, and, in theend, the program wasaccomplished underbudget.”Mohammed Abdulkarim
Manager, Manifa Project Dept.

53

A project woven together with utmost creativity
and excellence in pursuit of a singular vision.

54

What mighty hands, what endless glory
Could build such splendid monument
Together they sought to write a story
That ﬁlled the eye with astonishment
Abdulwahab Bozaid

Remote Power Automation
Introduced
For the ﬁrst time in a Saudi Aramco megaproject, the Manifa program implemented
Power System Automation, a human/machine interface that integrates the
key functions of power and equipment
monitoring, protection, and control into
one safe, reliable, and intelligent platform
with lower life-cycle costs for all power
distribution systems. It is monitored andcontrolled remotely by the Dhahran Power
Control Center.

58

Oil Reservoirs in Manifa
Saudi Aramco engineers found that they had to develop a specially tailoredapproach for oil extraction due to the deep oil reservoir in the shallow water
bay of Manifa. The strategy developed was based on Saudi Aramco’s simulation
models and required that ﬁeld production take place from the outer boundaries
to the center, utilizing peripheral water injection. Accordingly, water injectors
were placed above the tar mat layer to maximize oil recovery. However, thesolution had to take into consideration the irregular shape and distribution of
the tar mat layer across the ﬁeld.
Saudi Aramco’s Advanced Research Center developed a Nuclear Magnetic
Resonance tool capable of detecting the tar irregularities on a real-time basis
while drilling. The result was that wells could be placed accurately and steered
above the tar, placing injectors that were not too high and that prevented theloss of oil, while ensuring that they were also not too low to maintain pressuretransmissibility. Therefore, the number of rigs increased signiﬁcantly, from six at
the outset of the project in 2007 to 30 at its height.
By April 2013, Saudi Aramco was successfully achieving its objectives in Manifa
as 500,000 bpd of heavy Arabian crude oil were being produced from a totalof about 350 wells. This paved the way for the project’s maximum capacity of
800,000 bpd, a milestone accomplished by the end of 2015.

“This mega-project marks adeparture for Saudi Aramco,
as new technologies weredeveloped and solutions were
custom-designed. Technologies
were applied at all stages ofdevelopment, from a newly
developed Nuclear Magnetic
Resonance tool for accurate wellplacement, to drilling megareach wells beyond 37,000 feetand placing the world’s longest
cemented 17-cm liner, to worldrecord well intervention, with theuse of the world’s ﬁrst applicationof tandem slim tractors.”

Nabilah Al-Tunisi
Chief Engineer, Saudi Aramco

59

Safety Initiatives
Committed to the highest safety standards and loss
prevention, Saudi Aramco put forward a number of
key initiatives to ensure the safety of both personnel
and operations. High concentrations of lethalhydrogen sulﬁde (H2S) gas in the crude oil meantthat an extensive qualitative risk assessment would
be undertaken to identify potential hazards and how
to minimize them, including assignment of “No Go”
zones identiﬁed for each drill site as an emergency
precaution in case of gas release. Similarly, an
intensive awareness program was carried out inwhich all employees (some 45,000 staff) weretrained in the potential risks associated with H2S gas
and the emergency and safety measures required tomitigate those risks.
Emergency precautions and standards were
undertaken through a Site Speciﬁc Emergency
Response Plan. Among its precautionary measures
was performance of emergency drills on a regularbasis and the use of evacuation boats, if deemednecessary due to wind direction. Staff safety is a vitalfeature of Saudi Aramco’s operations. In addition tomonthly safety meetings in which safety practices
and dangerous activities or behaviors are analyzed,
staff members are always updated about emergency
channels, meeting points, and any hazards.

60

Manifa Producing Department Administration building“I ﬁrmly believe that this was a collaborative
effort as a team – a team that worked
hard with a ﬁrm belief in the company’s
core values. Leading the business groupof Manifa made me proud of our projectcontrol staff and their efforts in building
rigorous project control, which continuously
ensures that our work processes andprocedures are implemented effectively tomeet the overall project objective.”

Talal Al-Hareky
Business Manager

61

A 100% Saudi Development
A specially tailored career program for the attraction
and development of Saudi talent was created andlaunched by Saudi Aramco. It led to the successfulenrolment and training of young Saudis by technicalexperts in their respective ﬁelds. With a focus on acommitment to quality and safety, graduates of the
program supported the ﬁnal phases in the Manifa
Bay project until the facilities were launched by a
100% Saudi workforce.

“We were committed to the highest safety
and quality standards in the managementof the project and the production of
Arabian Heavy crude oil while preserving
the environment. At the same time,
our commitment to the training anddevelopment of our personnel underpinned
all our efforts.”

62

Azib Al-Qahtani
Manager, Manifa Producing Dept.

63

Challenges
All projects of this magnitude are bound to face
myriad difﬁculties and obstacles, but Saudi Aramco
has proven itself capable of handling and indeed
beneﬁting from the challenges encountered along theway. The company has used its strategic abilities andmanagement resources to manage many mega-projects
in the past, and this was the approach undertaken
when the global ﬁnancial crisis threatened the region
and energy market.
Therefore, by the time production began from the
Manifa oil ﬁeld, 79.2 million man-hours had been
completed over a period of 613 days without any
injuries. The high degree of safety and security is
astounding considering the enormous nature of the
project.
The funding of the Manifa project began in 2007 withan investment of US$ 11.7 billion. However by 2008,
the global economic crisis led to a drastic fall in market
demand and consequently prices for crude oil suffered,leading to a questioning of the economic sustainabilityof the Manifa project. Saudi Aramco approached thesedevelopments cautiously, reducing capital costs without
impeding the functionality and course of the project.

Saudi Aramco took advantage of the market’s contraction
and reduced costs by entering into an alliance with thecontractors. Major contracts were renegotiated, andprocurement deals ensured that substantial savings wereassured for both Saudi Aramco and its contractors. Plant
systems and processes were optimized so that the Manifa
project continued to progress despite the recession. By
2010, Saudi Aramco had recorded a savings of US$ 1.1
billion on the Manifa Bay project.
This approach continued, and Saudi Aramco mademore changes during the early stages of the project’s
construction, leading to further cost reductions. During
2012, approximately US$ 750 million of the total costs
were decreased, bringing the total savings to US$ 1.7
billion, almost 15% of the initial capital cost.

64At the same time, the project development had totake into careful consideration the risks and threats
associated with H2S gas hot spots in the area. Saudi
Aramco safety contingencies included the maintenanceof a control room to monitor wind speed and a digital
map marking potential H2S zones. While all contractors
were required to meet stringent safety standards,
emergency evacuation plans were developed andregularly rehearsed. Moreover, the mega-project’s
workforce of 45,000 employees were all trained in H2Sawareness.

“Everybody involved, fromengineers to designers
and operators, gave theirmaximum efforts to bringthe Manifa project to its
successful completion.”

Hussain A. Al-Obaid
Superintendent, Manifa Field
Service Division65

Progress and Development

The steps taken
toward production:

66

2006
As the Manifa Bay project was being considered,2006 marked the beginning of an intensive planningphase to develop the ﬁeld in the most economical andenvironmentally friendly manner. Taking into consideration
the shallow waters and associated ecology of the bay, thedesigners and engineers decided to convert over 70% of
the ﬁeld into an onshore ﬁeld. This conversion required
construction of 27 man-made islands, each the size of ten
soccer ﬁelds and all connected with a 41-km causeway. To
this end, 15 offshore platforms were needed for the ﬁeld’s
deeper water locations.

and technical requirements, namely the constructionof reclaimed islands with a connecting causeway. Thissolution avoided having over 30 offshore platforms thatwould require extensive dredging to allow the operationof offshore rigs. In fact, the island solution would convert
Manifa Bay from an offshore to a semi-onshore oil ﬁeld,
resulting in signiﬁcant cost savings and environmental
beneﬁts. Saudi Aramco awarded 30 prime contracts tonational and international companies for the project’s
construction. Therefore, project engineering, procurement,
and fabrication activities occurred around the clock inseveral locations around the globe.

2007

2008

To determine the most effective method to produce oilfrom a shallow, offshore oil ﬁeld, Saudi Aramco undertook
an extensive evaluation exercise. This included detailed
design and environmental studies. The evaluation exercise
concluded that an innovative approach was needed
to answer the combined economic, environmental,

The global economic crisis led to a sharp fall in crude
oil prices and a severe decline in demand projections,
testing the economic sustainability of the Manifa project.
As a result, Saudi Aramco decided to reduce capitalcosts without hindering the program’s functionality. A
temporary freeze on project procurement activities wasimplemented while a partnership was formed between
the contractors and the company to lower costs. Saudi
Aramco renegotiated major contracts, introduced a Limited
Open Book strategy with the contractors, and undertook
an assessment of the program’s facilities. The partnering
strategy sought to capture market price reductions fromthe contractor’s uncommitted material and construction
procurement activities, after contract award. Saudi Aramcoobtained substantial savings on the project, shared thesavings with the contactors, and optimized several plantsystems and processes. These initiatives maintained the
Manifa program’s progress throughout the recession.

2009
Cost reduction measures were implemented, allowing
resumption of procurement activities and extending
the program completion schedule by two years due tochanging prospects. Given the size and complexity of thecentral processing facility, three main contractors withover 5,000 interface points were hired and successfully

managed by the program team and contractors. Manifa
Program interfaces were optimized by structuring theconstruction packages carefully, and they were managed
through alignment sessions with all stakeholders.

vessels, heat exchangers, electrical transformers, andswitchgears were used to complete the main electricalsubstation that year.

2010

The water injection facilities were completed andoperational on schedule. As a prerequisite to thisevent, the common utilities, central control building, allelectrical substations, and raw water supply plants werecommissioned.

The construction of the islands and causeway wascompleted. During construction, more than 45 million
cubic meters of sand were reclaimed from the seabed. In
addition, the design stage for the central processing facility
was completed. This consumed over 4 million man-hours,
and resulted in the development of more than 136,149
engineering drawings.

2011
The 13 offshore platforms for water injection and oil
production were completed and installed. Over 9,000 kmof pipes and cables were used – greater than the ﬂight
distance between Dhahran and Houston. More than 600
major pieces of equipment including pumps, compressors,

2012

2013
Oil production began three months ahead of schedule andmore than US$ 1 billion under budget. With a commitment
to quality, Saudi Aramco staff conducted more than 5,000
visits to vendors and manufacturers to ensure the qualityof the project’s materials.

67

68

The coral reefs in the Arabian Gulf tolerate
extreme variances in temperature that occur
throughout the year, from the high summer
temperatures to the cold winter climate.

The development and building of bridges has always beenclosely intertwined with human civilization, from the very
early use of tree trunks for crossing rivers to the constructionof bridges which was known ﬁrst in Mesopotamia, and thenby the ancient Indians, to the grand aqueducts and city
landscapes of the ancient Romans.
It is the design and construction of a causeway andinterlinked bridges that makes the Manifa ﬁeld development
stand out from among the world’s offshore oil ﬁelds.
Aesthetically pleasing and a viable solution for the area’s
environmental needs – with a 41-km causeway that crosses
the Arabian Gulf to connect 27 man-made islands – thedevelopment ensured that the 30 drilling wells did not harm
their natural surroundings.

“Although the production of Arabian Heavy crude
oil at Manifa has reached 800,000 bpd, there are no
traces of burning gas. The Manifa project was theﬁrst Saudi Aramco project in which there is no gas
ﬂaring whatsoever due to the technologies usedin its operation. Annual maintenance programs
have ensured that there are no technical problems,
which conﬁrms the quality of the material andmethods applied. We don’t expect there to be any
technical problems for the next 10 years.”

72

Khalid K. Al-Onaizi
Superintendent, Manifa Maintenance
Division

A Jewel in the Crown
As Manifa is located in a coastal andecologically sensitive area, Saudi Aramco
marine specialists were involved in the
project from the outset to reduce thedevelopmental footprint on the marine
environment. The causeway and its routeselection were designed to avoid disturbing
the coral reefs and dense sea-grass meadows
while taking into consideration the shallow
water variances, as well as the deeper waterlocations for the extraction of oil and buildingof the islands.
Described by HE Khalid A. Al-Falih, Chairmanof the Board of Saudi Aramco, as the “jewel
in the crown” of the company’s operations,the design and construction of the Manifa
ﬁeld has been widely heralded. Although
Saudi Aramco has developed a number ofmega-projects, the Manifa Bay development
was the ﬁrst time the company adopted theapproach of building and connecting manmade islands.

73

74

What differentiated the designs of the Manifa Bay
development was the commitment to the environment, which
ensured that causeway and island construction supported theprotection of the area’s marine life.

75

The Manifa Bay project is the ﬁrst of its kind for the company inwhich cogeneration of electricity not only allows for self-sufﬁcient
operations but also provides a power surplus. Moreover, oil
production at Manifa provides the energy equivalent to meetingthe needs of 100 million people around the world.

“Throughout my time as a member of the Manifa
development team, I was conﬁdent of the success ofthe project due to the broad array of technical expertise
involved and the general air of determination that all parties
shared in its execution.
The team had to connect the oil wells in Manifa with thosein Tanajib, and at the same time develop water injection
wells to provide peripheral water injection as a pressure
maintenance scheme to support oil production.”

76

Osama Al-Saleh
Project Engineer

77The Manifa oil ﬁeld development represents the ﬁrst such Saudi
Aramco project in which there is no gas ﬂaring, in line with thecompany’s environmental and community support mandate.

78

The project’s impact was wide-ranging,as the areas surrounding Manifa also
prospered with a rise in employment, private
sector business, and national economic
growth. A number of local contractors
are involved in Manifa trade and related
activities, while residents of the surrounding
areas have seen local infrastructure andservices improve.

A magical industrial
tapestry of pipes
distinguishes the
Manifa facility.

79The Manifa project has hada signiﬁcant impact on the
Saudi economy. During theexecution phase alone,
more than 21,000 jobs werecreated, impacting thousandsof families both directly andindirectly across the Kingdom
and beyond.

80

81

Saudi Female Geologists

Basmah Al-Mustafa (right)
I was exposed to the Manifa project in 2011, immediately after graduatingfrom the University of Liverpool. The project was in an advanced development
stage, especially on the well drilling side, with an objective to reach its assigned
production capacity of 900,000 barrels per day of Arabian Heavy crude oil.
I joined the Manifa team as a Field Geologist to handle the Well Planning,
WAPING (Well Approval Package), and Operations tasks.
Well Planning involved collecting and analyzing reservoir data from thedesignated location to be drilled within the Manifa project area. This was notan easy task as Manifa Bay has a sophisticated reservoir environment. After
analyzing the data, I would create the draft drilling map using Open Works(OW), a specialized software application. This is a challenging exercise as thedrilling paths have to be examined carefully through the various ground layers
to ensure maximum operational efﬁciency.
Once the draft was completed, we would meet with the engineers to discuss
the map and apply any needed modiﬁcations. After agreeing on all changes, wewould then test the plan on Open Works (OW) and start creating the prognosis
and formation tops of the well. Following this stage, the plan would be sent to
the Well Approval Package (WAP) for ﬁnal approval. Finally, the drilling teamwould execute the plan. At that stage, my duty would include monitoring thedrilling path and advising the Field Engineers of any restrictions or modiﬁcations
that need to be applied based on the actual situation.

82

I am proud to have been part of the team that worked on the ﬁfth largest oil
ﬁeld in the world and was delighted to witness its ﬁrst commercial productionin April 2013. It was a great start to my career in Saudi Aramco and an inspiringexperience.
None of this would have been possible without the assistance and guidanceof the Manifa team members.
Thanaa Abdulmohsen (left)
As a geologist, I helped the engineers in designing and planning the new wells
to be drilled. They needed our help to place the well path into the targeted
reservoir. I also monitored the drilling of many wells to ensure that drilling
successfully reached the targeted reservoir without encountering any major
issues. Importantly, I worked alongside my mentor to enhance the structure of
the Manifa ﬁeld based on the data obtained from the drilled wells.
I am immensely proud to have been a member of the amazing team that led tothe success of the Manifa oil ﬁeld project. This unique project is a testimony tothe company’s values, particularly its environmental stewardship. It is very dear
to my heart because it was both the ﬁrst and one of the biggest projects that I
worked on since joining the company in 2011.

83

84

Self-sufﬁciency in generating electricity
to power the operating plants throughcogeneration is an important component of
Saudi Aramco’s energy efﬁciency strategy. The
Manifa facility cogenerates 420 megawatts ofelectric power together with steam. In addition,
3 million standard cubic feet per day of ﬂare gas
is recycled.
The Manifa project causeway design was
intended to cater to both energy market
production needs and environmental
preservation for the Bay’s distinct ecosystem.
Manifa Bay is a seascape of several
environments, from intensive algae habitats
and dense kelp beds to scattered coral reefs,
contributing to its biodiversity. A signiﬁcant
percentage of the Kingdom’s Gulf ﬁshery isdependent on the bay, so its vitality could
not be overlooked when planning the Manifa
production facilities. At every step of theprocess, Saudi Aramco environmental andproject engineers ensured that the facilities
would not adversely impact the important
ecosystem of the Gulf shallows.
Marine scientists from the Environmental
Protection Department worked to ensure thatneeded facilities could be built without causing
undue harm to the environment.

85

86

87

88

Dedication to Development,
Environmental Preservation
As Saudi Aramco made preparations to harvest the oil far below the shallow seabedof Manifa Bay, the company took precautions to maintain the bounty of its marine life
and the varied sea ﬂoor environments. Therefore, the Manifa program followed strict
environmental policies enforcing many drilling, land, and air protection measures.
Since Manifa is in a coastal and ecologically sensitive area, Saudi Aramco marine
specialists were involved at the conceptual stage to reduce the developmental
footprint on the marine environment. This led to special protective measures,and the route selection of the causeway and the islands was designed to avoid
disturbing coral reefs and dense sea-grass meadows.

Project execution continued throughout the market downturn of 2008, which
ensured continuous sources of revenue for international and national vendors. Four
million man-hours were spent in the detailed design phase, which was carried out
in multiple international locations such as Italy, Spain, the UK, Japan, and the UAE,
as well as various locations within Saudi Arabia. The execution phase provided jobs
for a multinational workforce that numbered approximately 21,000 at project peak.
This had a direct positive impact on the welfare of the multinational workforce,
including a strong percentage of Saudi nationals, in addition to the international andSaudi vendors who participated.

89

The challenges faced in the development of
Manifa Bay were dealt with successfully by thedifferent teams involved, by creating responsive
strategies, that also supported the training ofSaudi human capital in varying disciplines.

90

91

Approximately 213 km
were drilled to reach theoil reservoirs in Manifa Bay
92

No one disputes the fact that, when it
comes to developing young people –particularly new engineering graduates– Saudi Aramco sets the bar. The company’s
three-year Professional Development
Program has molded young Saudi graduates
into efﬁcient employees. As such, 95% of
the technicians at Manifa are graduatesof either the company’s Apprenticeship
Program or Saudi and foreign universities.

“The combination of new technologies
and young talented engineers andoperators supported the development andsuccess of the Manifa project. I have no
doubt that the Manifa example will set
the benchmark for all similar plans andprojects in the future due to its superior
approach and execution of safety andoperation standards. The Saudis involvedin the project have all learned importantlife skills and technical know-how.”

Ahmed S. Al-Besher
Acting Superintendent for Manifa’s
Operation Division

93

94

Safety Training of
45,000 Employees
The Manifa program featured simultaneous operations,with construction activities and drilling operations
working in close proximity to one another. Due to thehigh concentration of H2S in the crude oil, the fully
staffed Emergency Control Center operated 24 hours
per day. This Emergency Control Center formed part ofthe mitigation measures taken to enhance safety forconstruction employees. In addition, the Manifa program
trained more than 45,000 people on the dangers of, andresponse to, an H2S release. A Centralized Emergency
Meeting Point system was developed with signs andﬂags to denote the emergency meeting locations, and asite-speciﬁc GPS system was created to guide individuals
and emergency vehicles to the corresponding emergency
location.
The Manifa program implemented innovative solutions
that led to contractor partnering, a strong Health and
Safety Environment (HSE) culture, and an exemplary
environmental awareness and conservation approach, allresulting in a successful project that positively impacted
Saudi Arabia, the wider region, and the world.

95

The visit of HE Ali I. Al-Naimi, Minister of Petroleum
and Mineral Resources, as well as members of theBoard of Directors of Saudi Aramco, to Manifa in April
2013, to mark the commencement of operations
at the facility, was a strong boost to the Saudi
workforce and aspiring young talent who uphold the
Citizenship, Excellence, Accountability, Integrity and
Safety values of Saudi Aramco.

96

97

When the plans and studies, for a certain mega project such as Manifa, involve Saudi
Aramco’s Executive Management, then it follows that the huge execution operations require
a work force with a great sense of responsibility and experience in this kind of projects inorder to overcome all the challenges and difﬁculties, and obtain and ensure success.

“The launch of operations was an amazing
experience with no real problems faced by
the technicians. This is largely because of
the detailed design process and solutions
that examined and answered the natural
challenges posed by the ﬁeld. Additionally,
the use of technical experts to train andguide young Saudi employees helped toensure a smooth production process.”

98

Fahad T. Al-Dossary
Superintendent (A), Manifa Engineering
Division

99

Awards• The Saudi Aramco program for
health and safety was awarded theInternational Corporate Health andProductivity Prize by the Institute for
Health and Productivity Managementin 2013 for building and successfully
implementing an integrated healthand productivity management model.
• Arabian Seas awarded Saudi Aramcoﬁrst prize for technical excellence inenvironmental technology.
• The Manifa engineering design foroil production and environmental
care was nominated for a UNESCO
Environmental Responsibility Award.

100

For the 25th consecutive year,
Saudi Aramco was ranked ﬁrst in
Petroleum Intelligence Weekly’s
Annual Ranking of the World’s
Top 50 Oil Companies in 2014.

101

Nearly all of the 200 people who work in the
Manifa Maintenance Department participated in thefacility’s launch. Responsible for the upkeep of thetanks, pipes, and separation plants, the extensive
training undergone by these young employees has

102

provided them with the equivalent of seven yearsof experience and technical ability. Saudi Aramco’s
dedicated training programs are intensive, including
both theoretical and practical training courses forsmall groups.

The First Unit of Its Kind: Manifa
Operations Efﬁciency Engineering Unit
In pursuit of the highest operational efﬁciency andsuccessful outcomes, Saudi Aramco decided to establish
the ﬁrst Operations Efﬁciency Engineering Unit in Manifa.
With energy conservation and environmental protection
underlying its goals, the unit’s primary objectives
were to build a specialized team to ensure excellencein operations and nurture a culture of efﬁciency andinnovation. Team members were encouraged to explore
new technologies that could contribute to operations
enhancement. Overall, the unit was created to develop
a wide range of engineers and equip them with therequired skills and talents to improve their capabilities inthis challenging oil ﬁeld.

Reﬂecting on energy consumption patterns and best
approaches for efﬁcient usage, the unit examinedlighting usage in Manifa ofﬁces. Motion sensors were
installed, which led to a reduction in the consumption ofenergy in relation to light usage – from 365 days a year
to the equivalent of 80 days. Likewise, a ﬁltering system
was installed for ofﬁce air-conditioning units, which
ensured an energy saving of 5-15% on consumption.
Striving for continuous improvements and system
optimization, by the end of 2014, the unit had beenrecognized as the highest contributor to energy
conservation initiatives in Manifa.

103

104

105

CHAPTER IV
THE TALE OF MANIFA

With the discovery of the country’s hidden treasure,its black gold, everything changed irreversibly for thePeninsula and its inhabitants.

Aerial view of construction of the northern access road, a 120 km two-lane asphalt stabilized highway
designed to give easier access to the offshore producing areas of Safaniyah and Manifa. Safaniyah,
November, 1958.
Photo by E. E. Seal
108

Oil in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia
Success accompanies great discoveries, providing endlessinspiration for storytellers who never tire of relaying themany associated narratives.
The discovery of oil in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia andthe surrounding Gulf region led to a unique journey inthe area’s social and economic development, which was
ampliﬁed by the emergence of national oil companies
whose presence penetrated daily life routines, supporting
the nation-building process. The model of modernity
they presented instilled new beliefs and practices
about systems of work, living patterns, and community
relationships.
Saudi Aramco was pioneering in this regard. Emerging
at the time that contemporary education systems werebeing introduced, Saudi Aramco aided social development
across the Kingdom. Domestic human capital andtechnical expertise were cultivated in the pursuit ofmodern growth backed by oil production. From its early
beginnings until the evolution of Saudi technical expertisein the ﬁeld, the company has left an indelible mark on
every sector of the national demographic.
The Arabian Gulf region has been blessed with anabundance of trade and commodities, which have
traversed its seas for centuries. Yet, it was only in the20th century that the region’s modern ﬁnancial power was
unleashed. With the discovery of black gold – namely
oil from Well No. 7 – in 1938 in Dammam, Saudi Arabia,
scientists and geologists began the complex journey inworld petroleum economics that has characterized theKingdom since.

Prior to the discovery of oil, Saudi Arabia’s economy
was shaped by the historic trading routes of its Bedouincaravans, as well as by the traditional agricultural
methods practiced in its villages and rural areas. Its major
cities, ranging from Mecca and Madina to Jeddah andRiyadh, all engaged in limited and irregular economic
activities resulting from handmade production and a
reliance on the trade input of the annual pilgrimage. The
overarching economic objective of all commercial practiceat the time was based on the inhabitants’ daily needs, aswell as the necessity to ensure their survival.
In 1933, when the Kingdom was not even a year old, King
‘Abd al-’Aziz, seeking greater opportunities for his people,
granted a concession to Standard Oil of California (Socal)
to explore for oil. The Concession Agreement, signed
by His Excellency Shaykh ‘Abd Allah as-Sulayman, Saudi
Finance Minister, and Mr. Lloyd N. Hamilton, lawyer andnegotiator for Socal, in the Khuzam Palace in Jeddah on
May 29, heralded a new era of openness and optimism.
Then, with the discovery of the country’s hidden treasure,its black gold, everything changed irreversibly for thePeninsula and its inhabitants. Its social and economic
landscape was altered throughout the 1940s as thecountry’s oil enterprise oversaw national growth anddevelopment.
Ranked ﬁrst in Petroleum Intelligence Weekly’s annual
ranking of the world’s top 50 oil companies for 25
consecutive years, the Saudi Arabian Oil Company, orSaudi Aramco as it is better known, is a story of almost
unbelievable success. Responsible for the world’s largest

proven crude oil reserves, as well as the largest daily oil
production, Saudi Aramco develops the energy resourcesof the country while maintaining a responsible outlook on
global economic, societal, and environmental needs.
As of the end of 2015, Saudi Aramco, from its
headquarters in Dhahran in the Eastern Province,
employed a total workforce of 65,266; 54,666 Saudis
and 10,600 expatriates from various countries. Managing
conventional crude oil and condensate reserves of 261.1
billion barrels and gas reserves of 294 trillion standard
cubic feet, this world leader in hydrocarbons exploration,
production, reﬁning, distribution, and marketing has
no equal.
Although company operations cover the entire Kingdom,
catering to domestic demand for automotive and aviation
products, Saudi Aramco’s reach is truly global. Withofﬁces and important partnerships across the world, from
China to Egypt and from the U.S. to the Netherlands,
international downstream integration is successfully
achieved while proﬁts from the exploration, production,and sale of hydrocarbons are maximized.
Committed to the world economy and the international
community, Saudi Aramco is expanding its capabilities
to discover, produce, process, and transport natural gas
for domestic energy, for powering seawater desalination
plants and other industries, and as a vital feedstock for its
growing petrochemical industry.

109The story of Saudi Aramco is
not that of the growth of anational company. It is thetale of the development of
the Saudi energy industry.

Saudi Aramco’s innovative andcreative approach to economic
and national growth has earned
the Kingdom wide recognition
across the world.

Aramco’s mobile drilling platform no. 1 in use in the offshore Manifa ﬁeld. Roughly triangular, itmeasures 28 meters in length and 31 meters in width with three retractable open truss legs, spaced
derrick, and operating barge. It is capable of drilling in water 19 meters deep. November, 1958.
Photo by E. E. Seal

110

111

The Tale of Manifa
1957
Oil is discovered in the offshore Manifa ﬁeld, 200 km
northwest of Dhahran. The ﬁeld, located in the Arabian
Gulf, has a depth ranging from 1.8 meters to 11 meters.

1964
Sustainable production of Arabian Heavy crude oil isunderway from the Manifa oil ﬁeld, Saudi Aramco’s
second heavy oil producing ﬁeld (26° to 29° API).
Measuring approximately 41 km in length and 17 km
in width, by 1964, crude oil production reached 40,000
bpd.

1966
Oil production from Manifa reaches 113,000 bpd.

1967
Oil production averages 48,432 bpd.

1977
By this time, 17 offshore platforms for oil production
and water injection had been completed and oil
production reaches a capacity of 140,000 bpd.

1984
Due to the world economic downturn and low demandfor Arabian Heavy crude oil, the Manifa oil ﬁeld is
closed down.

2006
The investment challenge.

Guide cementing head at Manifa rig no. 11. Manifa, March, 1963.
Photo by B. H. Moody
112

Aerial view of Manifa onshore rig, 1962.

Expert supervises cementing operation at Manifa no. 11, March, 1963.

Photo by B. H. Moody

Photo by B. H. Moody

A wellhead supported by an offshore platform
is serviced by offshore operators. Crude oilfrom the wellhead ﬂows into submarine ﬂow
lines connected to an underwater gatheringsystem, which delivers the oil to the Safaniyah
gas oil separator plant. Manifa, 1962.
Photo by T. F. Walters

113

Moonlight view of new Manifa plant area showing storage tanks
and spheroid under construction. Manifa, November, 1963.
Photo by B. H. Moody

114

Inserting collar prior to cementing at Manifa no. 11. Manifa, March, 1963.
Photo by B. H. Moody

115

1

2

1.

Aerial view of the new Manifa GOSP area showing trailer camp (in right foreground) with pipelines under construction to handle offshore crude oil. Manifa,
November, 1963.

2.

Aerial view of the new Manifa plant with the main trunk line extending from the offshore wells to the Safaniyah-Ras Tanura main feeder line pipeline.

3.

View of new facilities under construction at Manifa, November, 1963.

4.

Low-level oblique view of Manifa plant showing crews installing valves on intake and output main crude lines. Manifa, November, 1963.

Photography by B. H. Moody

4

116

3

Aerial view of the construction of a 120 km asphalt stabilized
highway, which was designed to give easier access to the offshore
producing areas of Safaniyah and Manifa, November, 1958.

The Investment Challenge of 2006
Saudi Aramco considered reopening and revitalizing
Manifa Bay with an initial investment of $10 billion in2006. The new development program for the world’s
ﬁfth largest oil ﬁeld was extremely ambitious, and Saudi
Aramco’s leadership was cognizant of the fact that the newdevelopment required conversion of the offshore ﬁeld into
an onshore project – the largest extended-reach project ofits kind in the world.
To achieve the new milestone and target delivery of
900,000 bpd of Arabian Heavy crude oil, developmentof the ﬁeld could not be considered separately from its
surrounding environment and its real global ecologicalrole. Therefore, in 2006, an all-encompassing evaluation
exercise was embarked upon, including design andenvironmental studies.
By April 2013, the ﬁrst phase of the development andexecution had been successfully completed and Saudi
Aramco’s second largest plant, the Manifa Central
Processing Facility, was producing 500,000 bpd of Arabian
Heavy crude oil.

117

CHAPTER V
A CULTURE OF PROSPERITY AND
FUTURISTIC DEVELOPMENTSaudi Aramco’s hydrocarbon production is measured not only by its outcome but also by theway in which the production processes are carried out. It is a tenet of Saudi Aramco’s missionthat national economic diversiﬁcation be supported and that quality work and training
opportunities be provided.

120

121

Sustainable Development and Environment
Culture and Heritage
Visitors to Manifa Bay today ﬁnd themselves surroundedby the beauty and magniﬁcence of an island-city ﬂoating
within the Arabian Gulf, where old and new come together– environmental serenity amid a heavy-oil-producing
infrastructure.
Since the very establishment of Saudi Aramco more than
80 years ago, the importance of ﬂourishing and prosperous
communities has been emphasized through development
projects in different ﬁelds, from culture and heritage
to sports, health, and the environment, supporting theorganization’s sense of corporate and social responsibility.
Saudi Aramco shares an interest in the development
and preservation of a safe and healthy surrounding
environment, partnering with the government to ensure
positive and sustainable growth.

122

At its peak, the Manifa oil ﬁeld development involved
more than 21,000 employees, constituting an integrated
community within the larger general population of theEastern Province and the Arabian Gulf coast. Before
constructing a causeway and drilling islands, research wasdone to ensure normal oceanic ﬂow to the biologically
productive Manifa-Tanajib Bay. Fortunately, the coral
formations of Manifa have been studied and included in
Saudi Aramco environmental surveys over many years.
Accurate mapping of these sensitive and important marine
environments allowed for the careful positioning of the
man-made causeway and islands, ensuring the continued
vitality of these coral reefs.

• Up to 49٪ of Saudi Aramco’s irrigation needs are met through the use of treated wastewater produced by the company’s facilities andresidential neighborhoods.
• Since 2009, some 366.5 metric tonnes of plastic, glass, and aluminum and 6,700 metric tonnes of paper, and cardboard have been recycled
through ofﬁce and residential programs.
• Since 2011, Saudi Aramco has sponsored the planting of 900,000 mangrove seedlings along the Saudi coastline.
• Over 700 artiﬁcial coral reefs have been deployed in 25 locations in the Arabian Gulf to support marine biodiversity and the Kingdom’sﬁshery resources.

123

The Palm Tree and the Sea
Since ancient times, the palm tree has represented a
critical source of life and pride for Al-Hasa and the Eastern
Province inhabitants whose ancestors labored to make thearea green and abundant. Saudi Aramco has followed adetermined reforestation campaign as part of its mandate tosafeguard and restore coastal mangrove habitats and protect
biodiversity in the Kingdom, including establishment of anannual Garden Festival. Similarly, Saudi Aramco has worked
to ensure that the bird species of the Manifa Bay area areprotected by erecting three nesting platforms that provide asafe haven for highly prized ospreys.
The coastal reserve within the Manifa area has beendeveloped in a way that enhances the natural biodiversity

124

of the region. The revitalization of mangrove regions along
the Arabian Gulf coastline has led to the planting of 250,000
trees in 2013 alone. As one of the coastal plants common towarm, tropical climates, mangroves are robust plants that canwithstand difﬁcult environmental conditions while offering a
refuge for migrating birds and a nesting ground for ospreys
and ﬂamingos. These habitats are among the most productive
ecosystems in the marine environment, providing importantnursing grounds for many commercial ﬁsh, shrimp, and crabs –the lifeblood of the Kingdom’s ﬁshing industry.

• Between 2012 and 2013, there was an increase in the rate of direct employment of Saudis.
• Saudi Aramco development projects and joint ventures – such as Sadara, YASREF, Jazan Reﬁnery, and
SATORP – provide 34,000 direct and indirect job opportunities.
• Of all the purchases made by Saudi Aramco, 37% of the items were manufactured in the Kingdom.
• A total of 216 employees completed the Working Woman Program.
• In the global oil market, Saudi Aramco is responsible for producing one out of eight barrels of oil perday.
• In 2013, 5.2 million man-hours of training were completed by Saudi Aramco staff.
• Through 2007, Saudi Aramco built 74 government schools for boys and 65 government schools forgirls; in the years since, Saudi Aramco has been pursuing a renovation program for these schools in
addition to rebuilding 51 schools constructed between 1964 and 1980.

125

The Daily Routine - Work and Leisure126

In addition, the Manifa camp provides employeeswith a full-service restaurant, a state-of-theart sports hall, and game room. Employees
are encouraged to engage in traditional Saudi
and Arab games to pass their time in keepingwith local heritage, while open sports ﬁelds
accommodate regular soccer and volleyball
tournaments.

Oil ﬁelds require a dedicated work program, unlike thechallenges of ofﬁce work and urban environments.
Saudi Aramco employees in the Manifa Bay
development may work steadily for periods of up to
one week, during which they stay in the development
area itself, resting within its accommodation facilities.
The accommodation camp spans an area of 217,500
square meters (m2), catering to 762 individuals at any

one time. The combined area of the accommodations
and work environment at Manifa Bay reaches
435,001 square meters (m2). Saudi Aramco prides
itself on the quality of its living quarters. Each lodging
offers a sleek kitchenette, separate living area, andtelecommunications and Internet access, as well as
air conditioning.

127

Desert cleanup campaigns are regularlyorganized by Saudi Aramco, in line with its
corporate social responsibility. These campaigns
invite company employees and their families
to join the area’s residents in a bid to raiseawareness of environmental and ecologicalresponsibilities for future generations.

128

The Manifa mega-project represents an important milestone bywhich all future Saudi Aramco projects will be gauged.

129

Nurturing citizenship values, Saudi Aramco
fosters local heritage and traditions
through community events throughout
the Kingdom.

130

Tarut Bay Sanctuary
As part of Saudi Aramco’s commitment
to protect local mangroves, an importantmangrove sanctuary has been developed in the
Tarut Bay area. Covering a vast area of 63 km2,
the mangroves planted over the years, now
numbering in the hundreds of thousands, today
help stabilize the shoreline and sustain coastal
wetlands and essential nursing grounds forcommercial ﬁsh and shrimp.

Since 2011, over
900,000 mangroves
have been planted along
the Kingdom’s shores.

131

An attractive destination for local camel shepherds
and their herds – particularly during the rainy season,
when abundant greenery brightens the landscapeand seems to stretch forever – Manifa also draws intourists and residents.

Manifa is a favorite area for residentsof the Eastern Province.

132

With an eye on global needs and sustainable
development goals, Saudi Aramco has reviewed
the Manifa ﬁeld’s development in the context of
its Corporate Biodiversity Plan. Originating fromthe core objectives of preserving and enhancing
ﬁve areas of exceptional biodiversity in the
Eastern Province, the company’s environmental
commitments have helped provide a vital natural
greenbelt for communities in the Eastern Province.

Mangroves sequester carbon dioxide, ﬁlter dust andother particulates, and provide an important refuge
for migratory birds and a habitat for marine life. This
is in line with the marine emphasis of the Manifa oil
ﬁeld development – the innovative construction of
3 km long bridges and man-made islands that take
into account the migration paths of the many local
marine species, maintaining a natural water ﬂow
and preserving marine nurseries.

133

CHAPTER VICORPORATE SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY

Citizenship136

Corporate social responsibility at Saudi Aramco is intrinsically linked

establishment of a National Industrial Training Institute (NITI), theto the company’s value of citizenship. Saudi Aramco uses its extensive

building and renovation of public schools, the construction of the King

resources to undertake activities that support development of the

Abdulaziz Center for World Culture, and the distribution of thousands of

Kingdom’s infrastructure, as well as the personal and professional

computers to school students. The environmental programs have been

growth of Saudi citizens, environmental stewardship, and development

equally wide-ranging, from beach cleanups and awareness campaignsof a knowledge-based economy.

to mangrove plantation, recycling, and the establishment of water

There are three key pillars of the company’s citizenship strategy:

puriﬁcation plants. These have been supported by the active enrolment

the economy, the building of a knowledge-based society, and theof volunteers to manage and deliver the varied national campaigns,

environment. As a result, the expressions of citizenship are diverse

once more reinforcing citizenship roles and values among participants

and impactful across every sector of the country, including theand recipients.

King Abdulaziz Center for World Culture
One of the largest social development initiatives ever launched by Saudi Aramco, the King Abdulaziz Center for World
Culture began its development in May 2008 when its foundation stone was laid by the Custodian of the Two Holy
Mosques, the late King Abdullah bin Abdulaziz. Striving to support national efforts for further social and culturaldevelopment, the center located in Dhahran, only steps away from the ﬁrst oil well discovered in Saudi Arabia,
seeks to develop the Kingdom’s human resources and foster its creative talent.

137

King Abdullah Sports City Stadium
Responding to the late King Abdullah bin Abdulaziz’s emphasis on sports and physical development, Saudi
Aramco played an integral role in the building of the Jawhara Stadium at King Abdullah Sports City in Jeddah.
Inaugurated in 2014, this stadium, and its usage plans reﬂect the company’s efforts to inspire both citizens andresidents to become more active, healthy members of society.

138

The National Industrial Training InstituteFurther to Saudi Aramco’s emphasis on human capital development and training opportunities, the National Industrial
Training Institute (NITI) was established as a nonproﬁt organization and a joint undertaking between Saudi Aramco andthe Technical and Vocational Training Corporation in the Kingdom. The institute’s vision is to transform vocational training
in the country to meet the growing demand for a national workforce in the oil and gas industry. With two branches in
the cities of Al-Hasa and Abqaiq, the institute caters to 3,000 and 400 trainees, respectively.

139

With a vision to improve the quality of life, Saudi Aramco invests heavily in its
employees, their families, and surrounding communities, assuring them of abetter standard of living and inspiring environmental conservation.

140

Saudi Aramco plans to facilitate development of an economic environment
conducive to attracting, establishing, and strengthening local industries
related to energy and global competitiveness, capable of creating job
opportunities for Saudi nationals.
Among the key components of this vision is the development of local
participation. Therefore, Saudi Aramco is working to promote what is known
as the Golden Square, which is a series of integrated industrial clusters to
help diversify the industrial base and achieve stronger economic growth aswell as sustainable, high-quality job creation. This Saudi Aramco initiative
for the establishment of a competitive energy sector has been designed toachieve the following objectives:• An increase in locally manufactured enegry-related goods and services
contracted by Saudi Aramco from roughly 35% of the industries to 70%
by 2021.
• Expansion of work opportunities for Saudi nationals from the current
Saudization level of 20% of jobs to 70%.
• Enhancement of the sustainable development of the Kingdom.
• Development of the Saudi energy sector for global competition.
• Contributing to the creation of 500,000 domestic direct and indirect job
opportunities.

141

Knowledge Initiatives
One of the most successful youth
initiatives was the iThra Knowledge
Program, which offered interactive
history, science, and energy exhibitions
alongside cultural shows. Spearheadedby the King Abdulaziz Center for World
Culture, the program was premisedon the importance of building andcultivating a knowledge-based society.
It spawned the popular educational
outreach program known as iThra Youth,
which in turn developed a number ofinspirational programs, including iSpark,iDiscover, iRead, and the more recent
iThra New Media Award.

142

Saudi Aramco believes in youth talent and supports thetraining and development of youth abilities and skills.

Youth Energy
Representing two-thirds of the Saudi
workforce, young professionals between
the ages of 20 and 39 are at the cruxof Saudi Aramco’s corporate social
responsibility program. The company’scommitment to education and learning
knows no bounds, as Saudi graduatesand young professionals are regularly
enrolled in training and academic
initiatives. Similarly, the professional
development of Saudi women bothwithin and outside Saudi Aramco is
supported through various training
programs.

143

In Pursuit of Our Dreams

144

Safeguarding Our Communities

145

Acknowledgement
The Public Relations Department is grateful to all
the departments and individuals who supported thedevelopment of this book. In addition, this book would
not have been possible without the enthusiasm andcooperation of Vahid Associates Brand Futurists in thedesign process. We would also like to extend our thanks
and appreciation to those who provided help andassistance to the writer while working on the featurestories, which were published in Qaﬁlah Weekly and
The Arabian Sun. We could not have completed thisbook without the help of the different teams in Manifa,
especially the Manifa Project Management Department,
the Manifa Drilling Department, the Manifa Producing
Department, the Heritage Gallery in the Community
Services Department in the Central Area, the Media
Production Division, and the Environmental Protection
Department.

146