Columbia University Delegation Visits KFUPM and Ras Tanura

Author: Aramco ExPats Staff
Released 21 March 2004

Dr. David Nissen
Photographs by Aramco ExPats

On Wednesday, the delegation arrived at the Saudi Aramco Administration Building for a short reception and presentation by Dr. David Nissen entitled US Policy Towards Oil Import Dependence. Lamees M. Al-Ali, Saudi Aramco Public Relations Department, introduced members of the delegation to Saudi Aramco management.

KFUPM

After the presentation the guests were taken on a tour of King Fahd University of Petroleum and Minerals (KFUPM) and visited the Research Institute in Dhahran. KFUPM offers advanced training in the fields of science, engineering and management to meet the complex and exciting challenges of managing Saudi Arabia’s vast petroleum and mineral resources.

University Staff Members

Officially established in 1963, KFUPM is dedicated to promoting leadership and service in the Kingdom’s petroleum and mineral industries.

The KFUPM Research Institute is comprised of The Center for Applied Physical Sciences, The Center for Communications and Computer Research, The Center for Economics and Management Systems, The Center for Engineering Research, The Center for Environment and Water, The Center for Petroleum and Minerals, and The Center for Refining and Petrochemicals.

After a reception and meeting senior staff and faculty members of KFUPM, the delegation was given an overview video of the university and its students. The tour continued with a short walk around the campus.

Ras Tanura Refinery

Next, the guests took a bus to Ras Tanura. Following a pleasant lunch at the Pilot House, hosted by Khalid Al-Buainain, Vice President, Refining, guests were taken on a tour of the Ras Tanura Refinery and the Ras Tanura Terminal.

In 1939, King Abd Al-Aziz Al-Saud, the founder of Saudi Arabia, dispatched the first tanker-load of Saudi Arabian crude oil from Ras Tanura. In the mid 1940s, the first refinery was built at Ras Tanura. Ras Tanura is now the world’s largest petroleum port and home to Saudi Aramco’s most complex refinery with a normal production capacity of 325,000 barrels of petroleum per day (BPD). It contains a vacuum column rated at 135,000 BPD, a 44,000 BPD hydrocracker and a total of 94,000 BPD capacity of catalytic reforming. It is the only Saudi Aramco refinery that contains a Visbreaker. The refinery also produces 13,000 BPD of asphalt, more than any other refinery in the Kingdom. Crude is normally transferred to Ras Tanura through a pipeline and can also be supplied by ship. Most of Ras Tanura’s production is transferred to the Dhahran bulk plant, although it can be exported.

Traditional Singing and Dancing at Sunset Beach

Dinner at Sunset Beach

Dinner was hosted by Fahad Al-Moosa, Vice President, Employee Relations and Training, at Sunset Beach. We were treated to traditional singing and dancing throughout the evening.

Aramco Expats