Along the east and west coasts of Saudi Arabia are two seas that contain a treasure of marine life that few knew existed -- and even fewer had ever seen. The Arabian Gulf was formed at the end of the last Ice Age, some 10,000 years ago, and the Red Sea's history goes back even further.
The Trans-Arabian Pipeline — or Tapline — has been officially recognized as Saudi Arabia’s first industrial heritage site. This is the story of how the 70-year-old oil pipeline won its place in history — and in the affections of those who worked on it. The Tapline, located in the northern Saudi Arabian desert, is considered a historical feat of engineering that brought energy to Europe in the aftermath of World War II.
Ali Mohammed Al-Baluchi, an Aramco retiree, has written an autobiography spanning more than 70 extraordinary years. The book, titled “Heart and Soul: A Memoir,” details many of the writer’s memories over 40 years with the company followed by more than 30 years in retirement.
For Aramco, it is another year of record-breaking growth and oil production. And for Ken Webster, it is a year of exceptional professional achievement. In the spring of that year, he is appointed Dhahran District Manager, a post he will hold for more than six years.
Using a cassette tape recorder, Marcel Kurpershoek, left, prepares to record Nabati verses recited by Al Dubais al Ulawi, 81, in his majlis, or gathering room, at his home in the village of al-Suda’iyyah in 1988.
Scent has been entrenched into every aspect of Arabian society since the Queen of Sheba’s visit to King Soleiman, the development of the spice trade, and the control exercised by the Nabateans at Mada’in Saleh (Al Hegra) over the camel caravans traveling north to the Levant. Socially and spiritually, scent still plays a prominent role in every aspect of today’s society.
Are you an AramcoWorld reader? If so, AramcoWorld would be grateful if you could give 10-15 minutes to answer a survey. Your responses will help shape the content and delivery of AramcoWorld for years to come. We kindly ask that you complete the survey soon as the link will expire.
Ali-Al Baluchi's new memoir Heart and Soul is now available in Saudi Arabia, other GCC states, the UK and Europe, and North America. In his own words and through testimonials from friends and colleagues, Ali Al-Baluchi offers unique personal insights, from the challenges of navigating a foreign work culture to nurturing lifelong global friendships in Saudi Aramco.
"There is a rumor of a big stir-up out here!" Another job change and more responsibility for Ken Webster, the family’s first local leave, the opening of the Trans-Arabian Pipeline, the continued expansion of Aramco in all parts of the Kingdom, and worldwide headlines for a former company secretary who swims the English Channel.
Leah Weston (Ras Tanura School 2001-2007) graduated May 26 from Johns Hopkins Medical School. Her medical residency will be at Columbia University Medical Center in New York. Her parents, Dave and Diana Weston, retired to Enumclaw, WA in 2013.
The Aramco Retiree Golf Group held their first 2021 event in Grapevine, Texas April 12-16, 2021. The event was hosted and organized by local resident Tim McGhee and by the golf group's organizer Mike Haas. A full week of fun filled activities included 3 rounds of golf at Grapevine Golf Club Mockingbird and Pecan nines, Grapevine Golf Club Mockingbird and Bluebonnet nines and Sky Creek Ranch Golf Club.
After three decades, William “Lashar” Lavenue will be calling it a day and retiring from the company at the end of May. Lavenue began his oil and gas career in 1981 as a petroleum engineer with the Getty Oil Company in East Texas after graduating with a Bachelor of Science in Petroleum Engineering from Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge. He joined Aramco in May 1991 as a drilling engineer. At the time, the company was operating 18 rigs.
For a country that is mostly desert, Saudi Arabia has a surprisingly diverse population of wild animals and plants. A remarkable 499 species of bird have been recorded in the Kingdom, along with 117 mammal species, 107 reptile species, 1,230 fish species, 266 coral reef species, eight amphibian species, and more than 2,400 different types of flowering plants.
As Acting Manager of Aramco’s Transportation Department, Ken Webster embarks on many travels throughout Saudi Arabia in 1950 and describes them in detail to the folks back home in the States. From observations on the new Dammam deepwater port (a project to which his brother, Allyn, an assistant engineer, is assigned) to interesting descriptions of visits with Aramco exploration teams in the Empty Quarter, to tours of the King’s farms, to “lessons” in Muslim law and religious ceremonies, his fascination with and respect for the Arabs and Aramco shine through in every word.
Aramco, Siemens Energy and the World Economic Forum (WEF) have launched a co-lead report on Cyber Resilience in the oil and gas industry. The report, “Cyber Resilience in the Oil and Gas Industry Playbook”, establishes a blueprint for boards and business leaders to evaluate cyber risk and enhance cyber resilience across the industry.
David and Susan Jackson (Dhahran 1991 - 2015) announce the upcoming wedding of their son Bryce Jackson to Lauren Rudesheim on Sunday, June 27, 2021 in Newnan, GA. Bryce was born in Dhahran in 1996. He is a deputy sheriff and paramedic. Lauren is an ER nurse. Bryce and Lauren live in Anderson, SC.
For the better part of a thousand years, all over the Mediterranean Sea, one power dominated maritime commerce: Phoenicia. Based along the coast of what is today Syria, Lebanon and northern Israel, Phoenicians wrote down much less of their own history than did the Romans, who gradually overwhelmed them by around 200 BCE.
In this piece, Mark Lowey chronicles the story of Faisal Al Qahtani, a young falconer from Abqaiq, Saudi Arabia, who learned the ancient art of falconry – and life’s lessons – from his remarkable father.
In stark contrast to the ongoing Arab-Israeli conflict in the Middle East and worldwide headlines describing fighting, bombings and the flight of up to half a million Palestinians from their homeland to refugee camps – sparked by the U.N. vote to partition the region two years earlier -- 1949 is a year of enormous expansion and success for Aramco, professional growth for Ken Webster and exotic travel for the Webster family.
The spirituality of fasting makes Ramadan a time of contemplation. In addition to the religious duties of fasting and nocturnal vigils, taking care of the body, as well as the spirit and mind, results in a wonderful array of Ramadan specialties across the globe.