Safety and quality are key ongoing issues for Pool Arabia as the company looks to build on its excellent reputation in Saudi Arabia.

A joint venture between the world's largest land drilling contractor Nabors Drilling International Limited (NDIL) and a local Saudi partner, Pool Arabia operates offshore rigs, Khuff gas rigs, oil rigs and workover rigs on some of the most prestigious projects in the Kingdom, and has now been providing its range of services to Saudi Aramco for more than a quarter of a century.

These operations are supported by world class safety training programmes conducted at a Dhahran facility, according to the company. A desert base completes the impressive training infrastructure.

Saudi nationals are playing an increasingly important role in Pool Arabia's operations, with levels of more than 40 per cent at present.

In its constant quest for quality, the company retained BVQI to ultimately achieve ISO9001/2000 accreditation.

Pool Arabia is able to draw upon the unrivalled global expertise and financial solidity of Nabors, which can also boast a strong asset base of state-of-the-art equipment and highly qualified and experienced oilfield service personnel.

In support of its international operations, Nabors maintains an engineering department through which the group designs and builds rigs to suit specific customer requirements, including mobile desert rigs for use in Saudi Arabia.

On the international front, Nabors says that it is aiming to strengthen its leadership position in international drilling, enhance its safety record, environmental and technological innovation, and extend its unique logistical support capabilities into new international markets.

The company enjoys advantages thanks to its geographical rig positioning, diverse assets and technical capabilities which allow its to favourably compete for some of the most sophisticated drilling projects in the world.

With international majors now set to embark on an extensive programme of gas drilling in Saudi Arabia, future prospects look bright for Pool Arabia in the Kingdom.