1. Overview

    Overview

    Nurse trainees study anatomy, Dhahran 1952. From the very start, we have been involved in developing the nation in the broadest sense. During the early years of our history, which were also the early years of the young country of Saudi Arabia, our economic and social service programs became woven into the fabric of the country. As time passed, we began supporting or complementing services increasingly led by the government. Once the company became fully Saudi owned, our social responsibility strategy has become focused on increasing the Kingdom's revenues from its petroleum reserves and on being a catalyst, a role model and a supporter of growth and development in all aspects of society in general, and in the economic sector in particular.

  2. 1930s

    1930s: Origins

    Market day, Hofuf. The desire of the country's founder, King 'Abd al-'Aziz, is to provide skills, training and gainful employment for the country's citizens. We begin laying the foundation of realizing that desire, honoring the terms of the concession agreement to employ "Saudi nationals as far as practicable."

    1. 1934

      Building the pier in al-Khobar.

      Building the pier in al-Khobar.

      • The first Saudi employees hired

        Among the first Saudi employees hired is Ahmad Al-Somali. He is one of the best-known early Saudi construction workers and he is also known by the nickname 'Mussolini' because of his flair for speaking Italian.

    2. 1935

      The ancient port of al-Uqayr, near Hofuf

      The ancient port of al-Uqayr, near Hofuf

      • 240 Saudis employed at Dhahran camp

        Dhahran camp employs more than 240 Saudi nationals on construction and drilling crews.

    3. 1939

      Field party with Saudi guides and support staff.

      Field party with Saudi guides and support staff.

      • More jobs and opportunities for Saudis

        By the end of 1939, the payroll shows 3,178 Saudis, 322 Americans and 141 other employees.

  3. 1940s

    1940s: Foundations

    Aramco's Jabal School, 1947. We increase our commitment to help develop the Saudi workforce by opening the Jabal School to train boys under age 18 in mathematics, English and Arabic. We also establish a college scholarship program and a company-wide training program for employees. We launch a public health campaign to eradicate malaria in the Eastern Province.

    1. 1940

      One of the first schools for Saudis on the Dhahran camp.

      One of the first schools for Saudis on the Dhahran camp.

      • First company school for Saudis opens

        The first company school for Saudis opens in a rented room of an al-Khobar house. Casoc employee Hijji bin Jassim, who owns the house, is also the school's first instructor. Early training focuses on job-specific skills, but later progresses to broader instruction.

    2. 1941

      Wheat harvest at al-Kharj.

      Wheat harvest at al-Kharj.

      • Aramco begins large-scale agriculture projects

        Aramco guides, engineers and geologists punch water wells for the 2,000-hectare farm at al-Kharj which employs over 700 Saudis To assist farmers in the Eastern Province, we operate the Agricultural Assistance Department from 1956 to 1993.

    3. 1944

      Jabal School students include future CEO Ali I. Al-Naimi, holding a baseball.

      Jabal School students include future CEO Ali I. Al-Naimi, holding a baseball.

      • Jabal School opens

        The Jabal School opens April 8, 1944, to class of about 70 Saudis between the ages of 8 and 18. It is the fourth company school, but the first one on camp and in a permanent building.

    4. 1946

      The Saudi camp in Dhahran, with its mix of housing styles.

      The Saudi camp in Dhahran, with its mix of housing styles.

      • Arab Industrial Development Department established

        In an effort to more fully support Saudi businessmen, contribute to the growth of the local economy and to remove itself from non-oil concerns, we establish the Arab Industrial Development Department. The program helps transform al-Khobar and Dammam over the years into thriving commercial centers.

    5. 1947

      Dhows moored at the Jiddah Customs House.

      Dhows moored at the Jiddah Customs House.

      • Suliman Olayan becomes successful businessman

        Suliman Olayan joins Aramco as a stockman in 1937. In the 1940s, he takes advantage of the assistance Aramco provides to entrepernurial Saudi employees. Olayan leaves the company to form his own trucking company and goes on to create a global business empire.

    6. 1948

      Aramco malarial control staff look for mosquito larvae, Dammam.

      Aramco malarial control staff look for mosquito larvae, Dammam.

      • First educational film about water conservation commissioned

        We produce Miyah, A Story of Water, our first educational film for Saudis, created to teach water conservation to farmers. We truck portable screens and generators across the desert to bring Miyah to many Saudis who had never before seen a moving picture.

    7. 1949

      A new locomotive, part of the Aramco project to build a railroad, is placed on the tracks.

      A new locomotive, part of the Aramco project to build a railroad, is placed on the tracks.

      • Summer Program tradition begins

        In our first Summer Program, we give 10 full scholarships to Saudis to study at the American University in Beirut (AUB). Two years later, we offer 10 full scholarships each year to Saudi students to study at AUB, Aleppo College in Syria or other accredited Middle East institutions.

  4. 1950s

    1950s: Momentum

    Aramco supports promising employees like Suliman Olayan to start their own businesses. The 1950s witness improvements to the quality of life for Saudi employees with the creation of the Home Ownership Program and a policy statement on training, outlining that there are no limits to Saudi advancement. This decade also sees educational and family entertainment enter the homes of Saudi Arabians via Aramco TV.

    1. 1953

      The first Aramco-built government school, Dammam.

      The first Aramco-built government school, Dammam.

      • Aramco builds government schools

        We begin building schools for the children of our Arab and Muslim employees in the Eastern Province, under an agreement with the government. During this arrangement, which lasts mor than 50 years, we build 139 schools.

    2. 1955

      The Industrial Training Center in Abqaiq.

      The Industrial Training Center in Abqaiq.

      • Industrial Training Centers open

        Between 1955 and 1957, three Industrial Training Centers (ITCs) open in Dhahran, Ras Tanura and Abqaiq to help develop the skills of the Saudi workforce. Each one contains 20 to 24 classrooms plus a science laboratory, a drafting room and a business machines classroom.

    3. 1956

      Spraying houses for mosquito control in Qatif.

      Spraying houses for mosquito control in Qatif.

      • Malaria eradicated

        When explorers first arrive in Saudi Arabia in 1933, malaria is endemic in the eastern region. In the early 1940s, in cooperation with the Saudi government, we launch an anti-malaria campaign, educating residents about preventing the spread of the mosquito-borne illness and spraying villages to kill mosquitoes. By 1956, the disease has disappeared.

    4. 1957

      Aramco television broadcasts programs on math, science and health education.

      Aramco television broadcasts programs on math, science and health education.

      • Aramco TV begins operations

        On September 17, 1957, we introduce television to Saudi Arabia. Aramco station HZ-22 is the first Arabic language station in Saudi Arabia and the second in the entire Middle East. Air time is equally divided between recreational and educational programs and includes science, mathematics and English language classes.

    5. 1958

      Aramco employees build new homes, purchased through the Home Ownership Program.

      Aramco employees build new homes, purchased through the Home Ownership Program.

      • Home Ownership Program launches

        We launch our Home Ownership Program in 1951. The land is provided by the government, and the company provides interest-free loans and develops new communities with roads and utilities.

    6. 1959

      A group of young Saudi employees prepare to head to the United States to attend university.

      A group of young Saudi employees prepare to head to the United States to attend university.

      • First Saudis to study in the U.S.

        We begin sending promising young Saudi employees to study at U.S. colleges and universities.

  5. 1960s

    1960s: Development

    Students on their way to class at the College of Petroleum and Minerals, Dhahran 1967. We implement a company policy to prevent pollution in coastal waters and create an organization dedicated to environmental management. We also ramp up our efforts to provide educational opportunities for the youth of Saudi Arabia.

    1. 1960

      Aramco medical personnel examine a young patient in Dhahran.

      Aramco medical personnel examine a young patient in Dhahran.

      • Scholarships for Arab nursing students

        Scholarships are established for Arab nursing students at the American University of Beirut.

    2. 1963

      Aramco specialists provide assistance to local poultry farmers.

      Aramco specialists provide assistance to local poultry farmers.

      • The University of Petroleum and Minerals (now KFUPM) founded

        We help found the Middle East's first college of petroleum technology, which in 1986 becomes King Fahd University of Petroleum and Minerals. The company makes land available adjacent to Dhahran and contributes $11.5 million toward the construction of the new campus, which opens in 1970.

      • Business loans and technical assistance for Saudi fishermen

        The company provides business loans and technical assistance to Saudi fishermen, increasing their capacity to clean and freeze shrimp for export to the United States.

    3. 1964

      Saudi girls at play on the grounds of an Aramco-built government school.

      Saudi girls at play on the grounds of an Aramco-built government school.

      • First Aramco-built government schools for Saudi girls

        The first Aramco-built government schools for Saudi girls open in al-Khobar and Rahimah. Formal schools gradually replace the informal method of home schooling in which generations of girls had been tutored in private homes.

  6. 1970s

    1970s: Growth

    The Saudi desert in full bloom in the spring of 1974. We build on our environmental policy by completing and publishing a study of the Arabian Gulf ecosystem and improve air quality by capturing previously flared gas in the new Master Gas system.

    1. 1970

      An Aramco specialist assists a local farmer.

      An Aramco specialist assists a local farmer.

      • Agricultural Assistance Program achievement

        Our Agricultural Assistance Program, in cooperation with the Saudi Arabian Ministry of Agriculture and Water, helps farmers move broccoli and sugar beets from the experimental farm stage to the marketplace.

    2. 1971

      The Aramco health care system serves tens of thousands of people.

      The Aramco health care system serves tens of thousands of people.

      • First degrees from College of Petroleum and Minerals

        After first admitting students in 1964, the first degrees from the College of Petroleum and Minerals are issued in 1971.

    3. 1972

      A young visitor enjoys a display in Aramco's Mobile Oil Exhibit.

      A young visitor enjoys a display in Aramco's Mobile Oil Exhibit.

      • Company surveys Arabian Gulf ecosystem

        Following increased petroleum production, shipping and industrialization in the Gulf, the company begins a five-year survey of plant and animal life in the Gulf region. The results form a biological baseline against which future changes are measured.

      • Aramco's Mobile Oil Exhibit has its final tour

        The company's Mobile Oil Exhibit has its final performance under canvas in the town of Makkah, after touring the country 50 times in 14 years and hosting some 1.5 million Saudi visitors.

    4. 1977

      An Aramco biologist examines a baby sea turtle as part of a survey of plant and animal species of the Arabian Gulf.

      An Aramco biologist examines a baby sea turtle as part of a survey of plant and animal species of the Arabian Gulf.

      • Aramco publishes results of environmental study

        The results of the company's 5-year survey of plant and animal life in the Gulf region are published in Biotopes of the Western Arabian Gulf: Marine Life and Environments of Saudi Arabia. The volume includes a 65-page species list of animals and plants inhabiting the Gulf, more than half of which had never been reported there.

  7. 1980s

    1980s: Transformation

    Young readers check out books from an Aramco mobile library, 1980s. Our role in promoting environmental protection and awareness reaches a new level with the completion of three major environmental initiatives. We also establish scholarships for women to study at international universities and launch two new programs to increase education and development opportunities for employees and non-employees.

    1. 1980

      Employees exchange ideas in a management training seminar.

      Employees exchange ideas in a management training seminar.

      • Professional Development Program (PDP) established

        In its first year, the Professional Development Program (PDP) enrolls 400 employees. The program initially enrolls some expatriates but soon shifts its focus to encompass only Saudis. Enrollment in the program fluctuates throughout the decade, peaking at 910 in 1987.

    2. 1981

      A farmer in al-Hasa harvests tilapia from a fish farm, established with assistance from Aramco.

      A farmer in al-Hasa harvests tilapia from a fish farm, established with assistance from Aramco.

      • Scholarships for women

        We provide the first scholarships to female employees to study at overseas universities.

      • Al-Hasa Farm begins operations

        The company's 300-acre al-Hasa Demonstration Farm cultivates 15 new varieties of vegetables and becomes home to new fish and agriculture farming projects.

    3. 1982

      A steel plant in Jubail is just one of many industries powered by Aramco's Master Gas System.

      A steel plant in Jubail is just one of many industries powered by Aramco's Master Gas System.

      • Mobile Library Program launches

        The Mobile Library Program launches in coordination with the Directorate General of Education, providing educational services to elementary students.

    4. 1986

      Aramco biologists check a seine net in Tarut Bay, part of a survey of the bay's ecosystem.

      Aramco biologists check a seine net in Tarut Bay, part of a survey of the bay's ecosystem.

      • Major environmental and ecological initiatives begin

        We complete a three-year study of the Manifa and Tanajib bays to gain a better understanding of their ecosystems. Treated wastewater is used to create the Abqaiq Greenbelt to protect nearby homes from wind and sand movement. Three years later, we help publish Birds of the Eastern Province of Saudi Arabia, the most complete work ever printed on birds of the Western Gulf region.

    5. 1987

      Company-sponsored students gather on the campus of a university in the United States.

      Company-sponsored students gather on the campus of a university in the United States.

      • College Degree Program for Non-Employees (CDPNE) established

        The CDPNE offers educational assistance to promising male and female Saudi high school science graduates. Program participants are provided free lodging and a monthly stipend while attending a one-year college preparatory program. Successful candidates then attend university and many of the graduates go on to work for us.

  8. 1990s

    1990s: Global reach

    The Saudi Aramco Children's Art Contest has been inspiring young minds since 1979. We respond to the Gulf War oil spill and recover more than 1 million barrels of oil. Later in the decade, we open an oncology center and release an animated feature film that communicates the importance of preserving the environment.

    1. 1991

      A bird is recovered for cleaning as part of clean-up efforts during the Gulf oil spill.

      A bird is recovered for cleaning as part of clean-up efforts during the Gulf oil spill.

      • Saudi Aramco responds to Gulf War oil spill

        During the Gulf War, an oil spill begins in Kuwait, then drifts south, impacting the coastline of Saudi Arabia. Our response teams work around the clock to recover more than 1.2 million barrels of oil from the spill, despite adverse conditions and rough weather.

    2. 1998

      The health and well-being of our employees and their families is a key priority

      The health and well-being of our employees and their families is a key priority

      • Advanced oncology treatment center opens

        We complete work on an oncology treatment center to enhance medical care at the Dhahran Health Center.

    3. 1999

      A still from the animated film Land of Khuzama, which promotes environmental protection.

      A still from the animated film Land of Khuzama, which promotes environmental protection.

      • Saudi Aramco produces Land of Khuzama, an environmental film

        The 26 minute film, in Arabic and English versions, is released in connection with Earth Week 1999. The film, named after a type of local wildflower, delivers an entertaining message about the importance of preserving the environment, and underscores the need to respect the Kingdom's wildlife.

  9. 2000s

    2000s: Achievements

    We focus our social responsibility energies in four areas: the economy, the environment, knowledge and the community. The first decade of the new millennium sees us promoting the development of a knowledge-based society. We design and build the King Abdullah University of Science and Technology, a graduate research institution. We also begin work on the King Abdulaziz Center for World Culture, and lend assistance to the King Abdullah Petroleum Studies and Research Center to help develop a sustainable energy future.

    1. 2001

      Employees and local volunteers work together to plant mangroves.

      Employees and local volunteers work together to plant mangroves.

      • Launch of the Environmental Master Plan

        From improved air emissions controls and waste management to cleaner gasoline and diesel fuels, the Environmental Master Plan applies flexible funding streams to support initiatives that can deliver impactful changes.

    2. 2008

      The King Abdulaziz Center for World Culture is designed to promote learning, creativity and cross-cultural engagement.

      The King Abdulaziz Center for World Culture is designed to promote learning, creativity and cross-cultural engagement.

      • Design begins on the King Abdulaziz Center for World Culture

        In addition to being an iconic architectural landmark, the Center will be a cultural institution of international renown, and a model for social progress through education and cross-cultural exchange.

    3. 2009

      The King Abdullah University for Science and Technology opens for classes.

      The King Abdullah University for Science and Technology opens for classes.

      • Design and start-up assistance for KAPSARC™

        We support the King Abdullah Petroleum Studies and Research Center, a future-oriented independent research and policy institution committed to energy and environmental exploration and analysis, due to be completed in 2012.

      • King Abdullah University of Science and Technology

        Built from scratch on a 36-million square meter site, the King Abdullah University of Science and Technology is located about 80 kilometers north of Jiddah on the Red Sea. We enlist the help of an international advisory council to ensure the university meets the best practices of the world's top academic and research institutions.

  10. 2010s

    2010s: Rising to the challenge

    The King Abdulaziz Center for World Culture is a catalyst for social progress and intellectual achievement. Our long legacy of social responsibility initiatives inspires our current citizenship activities. We are committed to building on that heritage in support of sustainable development and prosperity across the Kingdom.

    1. 2010

      We are researching cleaner fuel formulations on our own and in partnerships with other institutions.

      We are researching cleaner fuel formulations on our own and in partnerships with other institutions.

      • New solar-powered building in Dhahran

        We invest in building a 10-megawatt grid-connected solar power farm installation adjoining our new North Park office building in Dhahran — the world's largest project of its kind. North Park will be completely powered by energy from the solar panels.

      • Clean Transportation Fuels Project

        A Clean Transportation Fuels Project is implented to install equipment in our domestic refineries by 2015 to meet new gasoline and diesel products requirements. The new equipment will position the refineries to produce gasoline and diesel fuel with ultra-low sulfur content of 10 parts per million.

    2. 2011

      Filming a sea turtle during the making of 'Desert Seas'.

      Filming a sea turtle during the making of "Desert Seas".

      • "Desert Seas" film premiers

        We team with award-winning filmmakers to showcase the wonders of the Red Sea and Arabian Gulf. "Desert Seas," narrated by Sir David Attenborough, captures the Kingdom's unique marine ecosystem. A second film, "Seas of Change," documents our environmental stewardship. "Desert Seas" can be seen on National Geographic's WILD and WILD HD Channels through 2014.

      • "Marine Atlas" covers Arabian Gulf

        In cooperation with the Research Institute of King Fahd University of Petroleum and Minerals, we publish the "Marine Atlas of the Western Arabian Gulf." The atlas is the first of its kind in Saudi Arabia and is the result of almost 40 years of research and monitoring.

    3. 2012

      Thousands of visitors enjoyed our Kingdom-wide Cultural Program.

      Thousands of visitors enjoyed our Kingdom-wide Cultural Program.

      • Cultural Program

        Our annual educational and cultural program attracted more than half a million visitors in Dhahran, Riyadh and Jiddah.

      • iDiscover

        In November, we launched a program to deliver innovative math and science workshops to 2,000 students and 1,000 teachers across the Kingdom. The goal of the program is to reach 2 million Saudi youths by 2020.