The Arabian Gulf and the Red Sea support breathtaking but fragile marine life.
Both bodies of water are also the location of several Saudi Aramco oil and gas recovery sites. As such, the company has conducted groundbreaking studies to ensure that marine life is protected.
Major marine investigations are currently in progress, according to the company.
For example, an 18-year Bioaccumulation Monitoring Program focuses on Gulf Coast clams and monitors the entry of hydrocarbons and heavy-metal toxins into the food chain.
Meanwhile, the Bioassay Toxicity Testing Program, the first of its kind in the region, tests the effect of drilling muds on laboratory-raised kin of the Gulf shrimp. The study has helped in the development of non-toxic drilling muds.
Saudi Aramco has also worked with the National Commission for Wildlife Conservation and Development to plant mangrove trees along the Ras Tanura Peninsula, providing a nursery for fish and shrimp, and expanding the biological habitat in Tarut Bay.
In 1997, Saudi Aramco began a study with the Research Institute of the King Fahd University of Petroleum and Minerals (KFUPM) to determine whether shallow marine habitats along the Red Sea coast can be reliably mapped using satellite remote-sensing data and sophisticated image-processing techniques, thus minimising costly fieldwork. Such mapping, for important Saudi Aramco operations sites, is part of the company's ongoing effort to minimise the impact of shoreline and offshore activities on the marine environment.
Oil spills and their effects are an ongoing concern for Saudi Aramco. Although the company has never had a major oil spill incident, the company has developed the capability to respond to incidents anywhere it operates.
Effective response is developed through regular drills held both at home and abroad in cooperation with local, national and international agencies.
In addition to its readiness training, the company maintains regional command and control centres for oil spill response and houses emergency equipment, including dedicated aircraft, to battle spills at sea. The company engages in aerial and sea surveillance of all its offshore operating areas.
Saudi Aramco is a charter member of key regional and international agencies involved in oil spill response, such as the Gulf Area Oil Companies Mutual Aid Organization (GAOCMAO). The company is also a member of the International Petroleum Industry Environmental Conservation Association, whose main purposes are to inform members of environmental developments and facilitate communications between the oil industry and relevant international organisations on environmental issues.
