The time we spent in Dammam and Jubail was fascinating, especially for those of us with an interest in energy. It is amazing what has risen up from the desert and essentially created the lifeblood of the petroleum industry. For those of you who might not be as familiar with this region the Eastern Province of Saudi Arabia is home to some of the world's largest oil reserves as well as Saudi Aramco, SABIC, and numerous other foreign energy companies including Chevron, Exxon, Shell, and Total.
We were fortunate enough to see not only the energy industry, but some of the other fascinating features of the region. Although there are many foreigners employed by the various oil companies, there is a large push to employ Saudis in this field. Our trip to the King Fahd University for Petroleum and Minerals afforded us a small glimpse into the first class preparation Saudi men can receive in order to excel in the energy field.
On day two in the Eastern Province we were lucky enough to visit the Royal Commission, the entity that has built from the ground up (literally) Jubail Industrial City. This city is a planned city designed by the Kingdom to bring industry beyond petroleum to the region. The city is larger than the country of Bahrain and is home to steel, aluminum, plastic, and fertilizer plants. In addition, they have special residential areas with the finest amenities and both lower and higher education opportunities to draw people to the city. It is interesting to examine the construction of Saudi Industrial Cities compared to the planned Economic Cities. (More on this in Jeddah when we get to see King Abdullah Economic City first hand.)
Seeing this vast land of energy and industry was an experience unmatched; however the Royal Commission surprised us with a caravan into the desert to meet with some of Saudi Arabia’s most endearing creatures…CAMELS. What a treat!
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