Interesting things are happening on the 13th floor of Aramco’s Al-Midra building in Dhahran. The Galaxy Room, true to its name, appears to be at the center of it all. The Fourth Industrial Revolution (4IR) Center’s Galaxy Room is a perfect marriage of calm aesthetic and knowledge sharing functionality, in a space where technology can do the talking.
The development of the Jafurah unconventional gas field is one of the most ambitious projects in Aramco’s history. Covering an area of approximately 17,000 km2, the Jafurah basin presented a unique opportunity to build a large-scale project that aims to contribute to the energy transition.
From the Jan. 8, 1969 edition of the Sun and Flare. A wild sheep? A wild goat? Whatever it is, this rare find hails from the village of ash-Sharawrah on the southwest edge of the Rub' al-Khali. It was captured when young and raised by Salim ibn 'Ali al-Qahtani, a member of the Frontier Post.
From the Jan. 9, 1952 edition of the Sun and Flare. As an ambitious send off to 1952, the Training Division held open house Saturday for a small group of Saudi dignataries and company executives. Purpose of the event was to review the progress made since the Advanced Trade Training Program was started 14 months ago to speed the advancement of Saudi employees.
From the Jan. 10, 1979 edition of The Arabian Sun. To accommodate Aramco's growing fleet of aircraft, the Aviation Department's Hangars 1 and 2 at the Dhahran Airport now have a new counterpart — Hangar 3 — a modern facility providing good working conditions for the department's mechanics and the much-needed room to do indoor maintenance.
From the Jan. 12, 1977 edition of The Arabian Sun. Dhahran's future new office building, a few months ago only an architectural rendering on a drafting table, is now steadily rising into view over the fence of the construction site, about 75 yards west of the present administration building.
From the Jan. 11, 1995 edition of The Arabian Sun. The Qurayyah Beach Community Services supervisor did a double take when he happened up on a quarter-ton dugong lying on the sand.
Welcoming me with a warm smile into his office, former executive vice president of Corporate Development Abdulaziz M. Al-Gudaimi, took time with The Arabian Sun to reflect on his nearly four decade career with Aramco as he prepares to transition into retirement.
My wife, Ann, and I moved to Abqaiq in 2010 to begin a six-year stint with Saudi Aramco. It was my second time living in Saudi, and, fortunately, I had preserved and brought my photographs of the Fazran Bedouins taken in 1978 and 1979.
With the northern hemisphere shivering in the wintry February weather, what could be more appealing than to travel eight thousand miles from Europe to shiver in an Antarctic summer? This is what we decided to do in February 2022.
I arrived in Saudi in the second half of 1973 and initially lived in a flat in Al-Khobar until our compound was ready nearby. I can’t remember how I first came into contact with the rugby but my wife, Joy, tells me that Bruce Drowley and family lived in the same block of flats.
After the two-hour delay in exiting the train, we leave Folkstone on the M20 motorway to London. As both we and the Discovery Land Rover need fuel, we pull into a motorway service area and grab a meal at a very busy ‘Little Chief’ motorway restaurant. The Discovery gets filled up with forty-eight liters of diesel at a cost of 32 pounds.
The Dhahran Chess Club’s 2022 Annual General Meeting and Dinner event was held recently at Salat Al-Khalij in Aramco’s Dhahran community. The occasion celebrated the club’s 50th year of service to the community and members’ recent achievements. The full room of club members and their families was testament to the club’s resilience over recent years, and especially during the COVID-19 pandemic, ably and enthusiastically curated by the club’s Board members.
From North African deserts to Indo-Pacific archipelagos, creatures of the lands, seas and skies have been depicted in art, venerated in temples and hunted for more than 8,000 years. Now they are increasingly protected.
The Yanbu’ Refinery Department (YRD) Laboratory recently celebrated the selection of a master’s degree thesis of lab scientist Refaa E. Bajnaid for publication ProQuest, the respected international scientific portal.
Shahd Telmessani, C&OE group leader in Aramco’s Fire Protection Department (FrPD) employee, was recently recognized through the Middle East-based Leadership Excellence for Women Awards (LEWAS).
Dr. Najiha Kaiser Alavi is the daughter of Saudi Aramco retiree Kaiseruddin Ahmed Alavi, Financial Accounting Department, badge number 73895. Kaiser Alavi and his wife Mrs. Salma Kaiser, the proud parents, were present to witness the graduation ceremony of their daughter. She was awarded the degree of Doctor of Pharmacy (PhD).
From the Jan. 5, 1955 edition of the Arabian Sun and Flare. Cinerama crews are slated to photograph Dhahran and the adjacent area, including Tapline, for a Cinerama production on the "seven modern wonders of the world" this week.
Since moving to Washington, D.C. a few months ago, I have been browsing different grocery stores. While mega-chain brands like Whole Foods and Target are commonplace no matter where you go, I hold a special place in my heart for local stores that operate as the underdog in the community.
The 8th UK Aramcons Reunion will be held on June 8th-11th, 2023 at Leonardo Royal Hotel Southampton Grand Harbour.