Enhancing energy efficiency

Improving our energy efficiency is one way we are working to reduce our environmental impact. Our Energy Management Program’s overall strategy consists of four principal elements:

• Reduce the energy consumption of existing facilities by two percent annually.
• Design new Saudi Aramco facilities to be energy efficient.
• Influence and promote energy efficiency at the national level.
• Reduce overall energy costs and conserve resources used in producing energy.

In 2011, we implemented 59 energy-saving initiatives and achieved energy savings of 10.08 thousand barrels of oil equivalent per day (MBDoe), which represents 3.44 percent of our total energy consumption for the year.

Our Gas Operations organization has introduced a unique energy efficiency program to reduce facility energy use by 26 percent by 2015. In 2011, energy intensity was significantly reduced by more than five percent, surpassing our two percent target.

We have established new energy conservation guidelines for industrial facilities and non-industrial buildings within the Kingdom. Full implementation of the non-industrial building guidelines is forecast to improve the energy efficiency of a typical building by 60 to 80 percent.

Our recently completed Al-Midra Complex in Dhahran uses solar panels that double as sunshades over its 4,500 parking spaces. Covering an area of 198,350 square meters and using over 126,000 solar panels, it stands as the world’s biggest car-park shade and generates 10 megawatts of energy for the Al-Midra Complex.

Environmental stewardship

Our environmental stewardship efforts expanded with the launch of our Corporate Biodiversity Initiative. Key projects of the initiative include:

• Establishment of a wildlife sanctuary in Shaybah
• Creation of artificial reefs in the Arabian Gulf
• Implementation of stewardship measures for ecologically sensitive habitats within the company’s areas of operation
• Studies to develop a National Framework for Fisheries Management
• Development of a Mangrove Eco-Park in Tarut Bay

During 2011, 50,000 mangrove trees were planted along the Arabian Gulf coast, which represents the first phase of our plan to plant more than one million mangrove trees over the next five years in various coastal areas. This commitment builds on a company mangrove transplantation program that dates back nearly 20 years.

We also took the lead in developing advanced treatment technology for oily wastewater. This technology was piloted in our Ras Tanura Refinery where it proved to be a cost-effective way to treat oily wastewater effluents. We licensed the membrane bioreactor technology to Siemens to be commercialized under the trademark name Eco-Right.

To increase the practice of recycling in the wider community, we hold recycling awareness sessions in the Eastern Province targeting employees, their families, local schools, communities and government facilities. In 2011, more than 14,000 people attended our recycling campaigns.

We have established a water conservation policy, and formulated a comprehensive strategy with a goal of promoting water conservation company-wide to conserve the Kingdom’s groundwater resources. Our goal is to reduce fresh water consumption by 70 percent over the coming 10 years through leveraging technologies and best industry practices.

Highlights from 2011:

• 10.08 thousand barrels of oil equivalent per day in annual fuel savings, representing 3.44 percent of total energy consumption
  
• 50,000 mangrove trees planted along the Arabian Gulf coast
• 1st Mobile Carbon Capture vehicle in the world built by Saudi Aramco
• 1,346 tons of paper, cartons, plastic, glass and aluminum materials and 11,500 toner cartridges collected for recycling