DHAHRAN — Have you ever wondered what the term “wildcatting” means in the process of drilling an oil field or about the role of Saudi Aramco’s Environmental Protection Department? Are you unsure about the company’s commitment to environmental stewardship, or would you like to learn about the importance of coral reef and seabed meadows and discover what species of marine life survive and inhabit the waters of the Arabian Gulf? Stop by the Community Heritage Gallery in Dhahran as the answers to these questions, along with many more, are now revealed in the Heritage Galley’s latest exhibition, “Manifa: A Wildcatting Discovery.” Discover how in 1957 an offshore oil field was discovered in an area not known to contain oil. Learn the stages of oil well discovery, why drilling was suspended in the area, and why by 1984 it was mothballed. Find out why in 2006 Saudi Aramco management again set its sights on the known oil reserves in the shallow waters of Manifa Bay. Visitors to the exhibit will leave informed about the engineering accomplishments, the new technologies developed and employed during the making of Manifa and discover how the risk to the delicate ecosystem was reduced. Discover how Saudi Aramco was able to convert Manifa into both an offshore and onshore facility with an outstanding safety record. As visitors walk around the exhibit set in the spacious temporary exhibit room, they will be transported into the moment by the many photographs and objects that are on display and fill the arena. The exhibit was recently inaugurated under the auspices of Amin H. Nasser, senior vice president of Upstream, along with the attendance of management from various areas and departments. In her opening remarks, Community Heritage Gallery coordinator Liela T. Al- Dossary paid tribute to the participation and achievements of both Manifa and the Drilling Department for the valuable assistance given to the staff at the CHG during the creation of the exhibit. The opening began with the ribboncutting ceremony performed by Nasser; Nasir K. Al-Naimi, vice president of Northern Area Oil Operations, Azeb Qahtani, manager of Manifa Producing; and Mohammed Al Abdulkarim, general manager of Community Services Projects and Technical Support (previously the Manifa manager of mega-projects.) The tour was conducted by Isobel Vail, a senior research writer and docent at the Community Heritage Gallery. The exhibit will be showcased for one year.