a weekly Saudi Aramco publicationOctober 7, 2015 vol. LXX, No. 38

shining bright at SPE

Ashraf M. AlTahini, director of ASC Research & Development, gives an overview of the company’s R&D program at the Saudi Aramco exhibit booth. AlTahini was one of several Aramcons who participated in the Annual Technical Conference and Exhibition (ATCE) — the flagship event of the Society of Petroleum Engineers.

Saudi Aramco contributions highlighted at global conferenceHouston — Taking t ime to ref lect on

accomplishments of the past year and cast a firm eye toward the oil and gas industry’s future, Saudi Aramco enjoyed an exceptionally strong showing at the Annual Technical Conference and Exhibition (ATCE) — the flagship event of the Society of Petroleum Engineers (SPE) — last week in Houston.

Whether i t was part ic ipating in l ively discussions during sessions featuring panelists from throughout the industry, presenting key

technical papers or groundbreaking technologies within the industry, or being recognized for their achievements over the past year, Aramco representatives were front and center at the key SPE gathering.

Among the many honors and recognitions earned by the company team included the Charles F. Rand Memorial Gold Medal, SPE Distinguished Membership Award, the Young Member Outstanding Service Award, the President’s Award for Section Excellence, and the

title of Distinguished Lecturers.Meanwhile, the company gave nearly 20

presentations in the show’s technical program and at the Aramco exhibit booth, participated in the SPE workshop series, provided a class on how to write strong technical papers, and met with visitors interested in learning more about our technology advances, job openings, and business opportunities.

see pages 6 and 7

OPEC basket

$

five-week price trend 2015

44.1244.2046.92

45.2843.86

Saudi Aramco by the numbers

contractor safety sessions conducted in 2014.

5,126get your flu vaccination todayProtect yourself, your family, and your colleagues by getting the flu vaccination. The flu vaccine is available in all health centers Sundays through Thursdays until Dec. 31. For more details, see this week's bulletin board.

page 9

OCT 2SEP 25SEP 11 SEP 18SEP 4

insidethis issue

Ensuring that business systems run smoothly is key for any good leader, but the path to achieving this may rest more in how much the leader focuses on individuals rather than the system itself.

managing people and systems

Five recent graduates of the Exploration organization’s Specialist Development Program recently displayed their skills at an event celebrating their achievement.

specialists show their skills

see page 3

Highlighting the importance of self-assessment and maintaining a steady march toward excellence, the Operational Excellence Department brings together representatives from various admin areas to share lessons and best practices.

journey to excellence continues

see page 2

The energy sector is especially a target for cyberattacks, given its size in the global economy.

see page 4

— Waleed A. Al-Mulhim, acting general manager of the EXPEC Computer Center

”

see page 2

JHAH: helping kids eat healthysee page 5

October 7, 2015

2 company news

your voice

How can managers deve lop an organizational culture that encourages high performing systems?

Developing such systems requires changing tactics and the way we run business. One way that has been proven to improve individual performance is the ability, motivation and opportunity (AMO) model. Initially suggested by Bailey (1993) and established by Appelbaum and others (2000), AMO is commonly accepted as a way to improve employees' performance by developing abilities (A) and skills to do the job, improving motivation (M) at work, and providing employees the opportunity (O) to make full use of their talents and skills.

If only one of these factors isn't achieved, it will affect the overall performance. For example, employees can be competent and motivated, but if they do not have the opportunity to make a contribution, then it negatively affects their overall performance.

To create a high performance system, we need to first start asking people what they think and involve them in the decision-making process. This action is called empowerment, which is the process of giving employees the power to make decisions about their work. Empowerment is one of four critical behaviors that we are currently promoting at Saudi Aramco. Part of the workplace application that the unit heads do in the Leadership Program for

Industrial Unit Heads (LP-IUH) is to conduct a problem-solving meeting with their employees. They ask employees to think of what problems they face at work and let them propose solutions to solve these problems. The results have been amazing. Several creative ideas have emerged, resulting in huge savings in resources and manpower.

Second, we must focus on self-esteem. Self-esteem is an individual's feeling of self-worth. What can organizations gain from reducing the self-esteem of its employees? The answer is obvious: NOTHING. The employees are not going to be productive if they have low self-esteem. A successful "people friendly" organization focuses on peoples’ feelings of self-worth while at the same time working to achieve organizational objectives.

The most productive employees are those who are engaged and enabled.

Third, to create a positive organizational culture, we must have a climate of transparency and sharing of information. This does not mean overwhelming people with information, but instead letting employees know in which direction the organization is heading. It also requires sharing future plans, as well as current challenges and what the management team is doing to deal with these challenges. Asking them to contribute to, or propose, solutions will prevent them from becoming part of the problem in the future. Leaders

who do this will problem-solve through their employees, thereby motivating and engaging them.

Finally, we must see problems as opportunities. Employees often feel they are constantly being told what isn't working and to "do better." Most of the training now focuses on problem solving techniques. Why do we not train people on opportunity seeking techniques? This will help us in looking at problems as opportunities to learn from. A problem is "the difference between what you want something to be and what exists."So, really, this is a matter of focus and attitude. If we focus on what "could be," we begin to look at opportunities.

Finally, in any organization, if we search for problems we will find problems and if we search for opportunities we will find so many opportunities. It is a matter of where we want to place our efforts. Is it on extinguishing fires, or exploring new creative ways of doing business? The final decision is up to us as leaders.

References:• Appelbaum, E., Bailey, T., Berg P. and

Kalleberg, A. (2000) Manufacturing advantage: Why high-per formance work systems pay off, Ithaca: Cornell University/ILR Press.

• B a i l e y, T. ( 1 9 9 3 ) O r g a n i z a t i o n a l innovation in the apparel industry. Industrial Relations, 32: 30-48.

on managing people and systems

by Abdelbasit Ayoub

Abdelbasit.Ayoub@aramco.com

Ras Tanura

Your Voice reflects the thoughts and opinions of the writer and not necessarily those of the publication.

Dhahran — In an effort to accelerate Operational Excellence implementation across Saudi Aramco, the Operation Excellence (OE) Department conducted its 3rd OE Exchange Meeting on Sept. 8 at the auditorium of the Dammam Office Building.

OE representatives from various admin areas and departments participated in this event. The objective of the meeting was to update the OE representatives on the current status of OE implementation and

Participant Abdallah Al Jamea asks a question during the OE Exchange meeting.

Emphasizing the importance of continuing the journey toward excellence in partnership with Operational Excellence representatives, Jamil J. Al-Bagawi asked the OE teams to remain focused on the implementation of the program, self-assessments, the capturing of OE benefits, and the forthcoming corporate assessments through to 2016. (Photos: Rayan Al Ghamdi/MPD)

journey to excellence continues

to share lessons learned and best practices identified during the self-assessment activities across organizations within Saudi Aramco.

In his opening remarks, OED manager Jamil J. Al-Bagawi thanked the OE practitioners for their commitment to OE within their respective organizations. He emphasized the importance of continuing the journey toward excellence with the partnership of Operational Excellence representatives.

remaining focusedHe also asked the OE teams to remain

focused on the OE implementation, self-assessments, capturing of OE benefits, and forthcoming corporate assessments through 2016.

Since the self-assessment process is a vital step in the implementation of the OE initiative in Saudi Aramco, several administration areas during the meeting shared their experience with the OE self-assessments and lessons learned, which provided insight for the other departments.

Add i t i ona l l y, OED upda ted OE representatives on the current status of the OE initiative and provided important updates in preparation for the start of OE corporate assessment in 2016.

The event ended with a panel discussion capturing the concerns and observations of proponent OE departments.

culture, mindset and behaviorThe Saudi Aramco OE model consists

of 38 consistent processes and best practices that are department specific. Implementation approaches to instill these processes throughout the various business lines involve meaningful changes in culture, mindset, and behavior.

By the end of 2015, 100% of the organizations within Saudi Aramco will have implemented the required OE processes, and they will also have all completed an OE assessment. By 2020, at least 90% will have undergone a corporate OE assessment.

the arabian sun

3company news

Exploration specialist graduates celebrated, demonstrate their skills

D h a h r a n — T h e E x p l o r a t i o n Organization recently honored five Saudi professionals for completing their Specialist Development Program (SDP) at a graduation ceremony at the Plaza Conference Center.

SDP is a mentor candidate program, which started in 1998 that develops geosc ient i s ts to become effect ive specialists, accredited in their specialties and acknowledged by their peers as subject matter experts. The program prepares geosc ient i s ts to act ive ly contribute to the welfare and prosperity of the company, and they are recognized for their technical excellence within Saudi Aramco and outside.

Exploration held a half-day event to honor the program candidates for reaching a major milestone in their career path. The event attracted 150 to 200 Exploration employees and guests from other organizations, including non-Saudi Aramco public figures.

SDP is fulfilled under the administration of the Exploration Human Resources and Training Group of Planning and Support Staff. It is one of the HR organization’s initiatives and is directed by Exploration's vice president, general manager, and department heads.

people are our most valuable assets

Misfir A. AzZahrani, general manager of Prospect Portfolio Development, inaugurated the event, saying: “While the world often thinks of Saudi Arabia’s reservoirs and fields to be the Kingdom’s most valuable assets, for us, people are the real assets. People like you who look after the health of the reservoirs and fields day in and day out are the real assets for the Kingdom, not only for Saudi Aramco.

“Every time we look at our portfolio of prospects and leads to make new discoveries, it makes us very excited how healthy the portfolio is. But it doesn’t compare to how excited we get when we see the healthy portfolio of our specialists,

by Scott Baldauf who look after our subsurface reservoirs and fields Kingdomwide,” he added.

Ibrahim Mojel of the Finance Strategy and Development Department spoke about the role personnel decisions play in determining future success.

specialists show their skillsA technical workshop took place

alongside the event, where young profess ionals interested in jo ining the program as well as Exploration professionals had the chance to view the projects and work of graduating specialists. This is designed to allow the specialists to share their knowledge obtained from SDP.

The event also featured Fai K. Aldossary of the Young Leaders Advisory Board, who gave a progress report and future outlook on the company’s ongoing transformation. Aldossary and colleague Khurram Din implemented an interactive quiz show about key points from the previous presentation about the ATP.

A t the ce remony ’s conc lu s i on , Ibrahim M. Assa’adan, vice president of Exploration, congratulated this year’s graduates, saying, “You deserve to be recognized as specialists in your fields.”

Assa’adan explained that even as the SDP program takes in more participants, it will continue to focus on the quality of the knowledge gained rather than the quantity of graduates.

“We believe in the value of our human resources, and we are blessed to have a world-class workforce,” Assa'adan said. “I think this organization is only getting better over time, meeting the challenges as they rise and then we move on. I believe the future is going to have tremendous challenges and I believe we are up to it, everyone in this room and the whole organization. Our goal, our mission, our objective is clear. We are here to grow the Kingdom’s endowment of hydrocarbon resources and provide help and support to its development program.”

Here is a closer look at this year’s graduates and their specialties:

Saad Al-Awwad, a geologist with the Exploration Technical Services Department. His research seeks to understand reservoirs and inter reservoir facies architecture through the integration of various data.

Nasser Alghamdi w i th Rese rvo i r Characterization is a field geologist a n d c a r b o n a t e s e d i m e n t o l o g i s t and stratigrapher. He is working on constructing an integrated high-resolution 3-D reservoir model for the Shu’aiba reservoir in the Shaybah Field. He is also working on defining the regional stratigraphic framework and deposition architectures for the Cretaceous systems in the Arabian shelf.

Al i Al - Ghamdi w i th E xp lo ra t i on Resource Assessment is a geologist and petrophysicist who is currently working on integrated reservoir studies to re-evaluate fluid contacts, saturation distribution, and special petrophysical tasks.

Raed Al-Dukhayyil i s a carbonate s e d i m e n t o l o g i s t a n d s e q u e n c e s t r a t i g r a p h e r i n t h e G a s F i e l d s Characterization Division. He earned his Ph.D. from Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University on the sequence stratigraphy and chemo stratigraphy of the upper Khuff Formation in the Ghawar Field.

Taher Sodagar is a geophysicist with Reservoir Characterization whose expertise is exploration and development of reservoir geophysics and multicomponent seismic data modeling and analysis.

mentors recognizedThe graduates’ mentors were also

recognized, including Aus Al-Tawil, manager of Reservoir Characterization; Ahmad R. Yasin, a geological consultant with the Exploration Resource Assessment Department; and Abdulfattah Bakhiet, senior geological consultant of the Eastern Area Exploration Department.

Exp lo ra t ion ho lds a g raduat ion ceremony every two years and rejoices when o rgan i za t ion p ro fe s s iona l s accomplish professional development milestones.

Every time we look at our portfolio of prospects and leads to make new discoveries, it makes us very excited how healthy the portfolio is. But it doesn’t compare to how excited we get when we see the healthy portfolio of our specialists, who look after our subsurface reservoirs and fields Kingdomwide.

— Misfir A. AzZahrani

”Ali Al-Ghamdi, right, talks geology with members of Exploration management and Jamal Al Dabal, chairman of DaamInno Innovation, Entrepreneurship & Management Consulting. Al-Ghamdi was one of five Saudi professionals who recently graduated from the Specialist Development Program. Al-Ghamdi, a geologist with Exploration Resource Assessment, is currently working on integrated reservoir studies to re-evaluate fluid contacts, saturation distribution and special petrophysical tasks. See more photos on page 8. (Photo: Mahdi Al Ali/MPD)

October 7, 2015

4 company news

AOC adopts Change Management strategy

This Change Management workshop was a great illustration of the gains we can make through collaboration, whereby AOC was able to tap into company expertise and the Aramco change community has now widened to include participants from The Hague and London offices.

— Fahad M. Al-Abdulkareem

”

keeping up with cybersecurityDhahran — With cybersecurity attacks

on the increase, Petroleum Engineering and Development recently launched an Information Security Awareness Campaign at the EXPEC Auditorium.

Organized by the EXPEC Computer Center (ECC) in collaboration with the office of the Chief Information Security Office (CISO) and Corporate Security Services Division (CSSD), the campaign was at tended by more than 500 employees and provided a thorough look at the variety of cyber challenges that employees must be aware of, as well as measures and behaviors that help us all to avoid being targets for attack.

In his opening remarks, Waleed A. Al-Mulhim, acting general manager of the EXPEC Computer Center, told attendees that cyber threats and attacks are increasing and “the energy sector is especially a target for cyberattacks, given its size in the global economy along with various geopolitical and economic motives that have increased the number of threat actors who have a vested interest in destabilizing the global energy

by Scott Baldauf markets.”With some 79,790 confirmed cyber-

attack incidents globally last year, up 27% since 2013, Al-Mulhim urged employees to remain vigilant.

“It’s not news to anyone that we live in an information warfare age. Almost every day, news breaks out about cyberattacks all over the world,” Al-Mulhim said.

As part of the awareness campaign, Shahad Al-Messairei of the CISO gave a presentation about the variety of hacking attacks that occur, and ways to prevent them.

Among the most dangerous attacks are those that prey on an employee’s wil l ingness to give up information to people who pretend to be trusted authorities, Al-Messairei said. Using social engineering techniques, these attacks, often called “phishing attacks,” manipulate people or trick them into giving up information or breaking official security procedures.

The latest security reports show that cybercrimes cost companies worldwide an estimated $400 billion each year, compris ing everything from actual

attacks to the growing amount of cyber-protective systems to ward off attacks. Hackers continue to look for new ways to break into sensitive computer systems, and each of us must be wary of individuals trying to get information through physical intrusion, direct intrusion, or from impersonating persons of authority.

Khalid Al-Ghaslan of Corporate Security Services gave a presentation about the potential vulnerabilities for frequent users of social media.

“The key with social media is to use it wisely,” Al-Ghaslan said. “The more you post, the more vulnerable you are to attack. Ninety-five percent of all attacks are the result of successful spear-phishing campaigns against specif ic people about whom the hacker has gathered information.”

Abdulrahman Al-Naim of the ECC ended the day’s presentation with a few case studies of hacking incidents.

Even for those who do not access work information through their smart phones, each Saudi Aramco employee needs to take special care in protecting their smart phones from attack, Al-Naim said.

Even for those who don't access work information through their smart phones, every employee must take special care in protecting their smart phones from a cyberattack. This was the message shared by Abdulrahman Al-Naim of the EXPEC Computer Center, who was one of the presenters at a recent campaign conducted by the ECC in collaboration with the Chief Information Security Office and the Corporate Security Services Division (Photo: Ahmed Al Thani/MPD)

Dhahran — Aramco Overseas Company (AOC) has recognized that Change Management (CM) should become a leadership competency for enabling change and a strategic capabi l i ty designed to increase change capacity and responsiveness within the organization. This is partially based on Prosci® studies that have shown since 2007, effective CM programs can achieve 96% of project objectives. Meanwhile, only 16% of project objectives will be met with poor CM implementation.

In 2015, AOC initiated a program to develop "in house change management competency" that can support business-critical initiatives. The Organization Consulting Department (OCD) was asked to develop and deliver workshops that can help embed CM competency in the organization. The CM Group of OCD developed workshops, the contents of which were research-based, easy-to-use, and most importantly, leveraging internal Saudi Aramco lessons learned, experience and culture.

To achieve these objectives, AOC hosted two CM Certification Workshops. This internationally recognized certification, which was delivered by two senior Prosci certified CM consultants from OCD, focused on applying a structured three-phase CM process and methodology to major AOC initiatives.

Fahad M. Al-Abdulkareem, AOC managing director, said, “Like the rest of Saudi Aramco, AOC has been undergoing a period of change. Through this training I am now confident that we will be in a better position to manage this change. It was especially effective thanks to the insight provided by the OCD consultants.”

Zaki M. Al-Musharraf, OCD manager, said,“It was a pleasure to respond to the request made by AOC as engagements like these demonstrate an excellent example of one of the four critical behaviours, Collaboration, between the parent company, through one of its HR organizations, and one of its major subsidiaries."

The CM process was developed based on Prosci research and best practices. A total of 22 project leaders attended the two workshops to learn how to effectively apply the CM process and align each AOC initiative with every stakeholder's needs and values.

As change is made at a personal level, a core personal change model developed by Prosci called ADKAR® was presented and

by Rachid Elaimani

used during the workshop and focused on five building blocks for change. Effective use of this model will show the current stage and barrier points of each impacted group or employee and will guide needed actions to achieve “change adoption.”

The workshop also provided project leaders with tools, guidelines, and templates needed for successful CM programs. Exercises and methods were introduced to educate colleagues in AOC, which will smooth the implementation phase and reduce the stress associated with radical business change.

Finally, project leaders had to develop and deliver their respective project presentations addressing key challenges, risks, mitigation plan, and sponsor actions.

To achieve the Change Management shift, AOC initiated a pair of workshops for participants in the program to become certified. Here, from left, Monika Satkute, Clare Holyday, and Petra Hemelaar of AOC work on an activity related to change concepts. Project leaders had to develop and deliver their respective project presentations as a part of the workshops.

workshop provides insight to growing threat in energy sector

5communitythe arabian sun

well-beingcaring for your health and wellness

LEGAL DISCLAIMER: All health and health-related information contained in this Johns Hopkins Aramco Healthcare Company material is intended to be general in nature and should not be used as a substitute for a visit with a health care professional. The advice is intended to offer only a general basis for individuals to discuss their health and medical conditions with their health care provider. Your health care provider should be consulted regarding matters concerning the medical condition, treatment and needs of you and your family.

Education • Graduated with honors from King Faisal

University College of Medicine in 2008• Completed Dermatology residency at

McGill University, Montreal, Canada, 2015• American Broad Certified Dermatologist.Work History• Joined Saudi Aramco Medical Services

Organization in 2008 and did his residency in Dermatology at McGill University

• Returned to Johns Hopkins Aramco Healthcare in 2015.

Quote“It feels great to come back and work as a consultant at the hospital in which I was born. I'm looking forward to give back and serve the Saudi Aramco community.”

Spaghett i and meatbal ls is r ich in antioxidants, fiber, and protein, and is a delicious and nutritious dish full of taste and flavor.Ingredients: • ½ kilogram (500 grams) of lean beef, minced • ½ kilogram (500 grams) uncooked spaghetti, preferred whole grains • 3 tablespoons whole-wheat bread crumbs • 1 whole egg • 2 onions, chopped • 2 cloves garlic, mincedPreparation:1. In a saucepan, sauté the onion and garlic in canola oil until it gets soft. 2. Add the finely chopped tomato, 1 cup water, oregano, bay leaf and black pepper. Bring to the boiling point and cook for 5 minutes and then reduce the heat to a low and simmer for 10 minutes. 3. To prepare the meat balls, mix the minced lean beef with bread crumbs, a little oregano, egg, black pepper and a little parsley. 4. Make 30 meatballs of the mixture and drop them in the tomato sauce and cook them for 30 minutes. 5. In a sauce pan, boil the spaghetti in 4 cups of water for 10 minutes or until the pasta become soft, then drain from water and place in a serving bowl. 6. Add the mixture of meatballs with tomato sauce over the cooked spaghetti. 7. Garnish with chopped parsley. Yield: 6 servings. Service: Serve with salad and low fat yogurt or laban to make it more balanced and nutritious.Fat and calories content:• Calories per serving: 250 • Fat per serving: 6 grams.Health Message:Diabetic people can consume it considering that (½ cup of spaghetti = 1 serving carbohydrate). It is not recommended to be served for babies below 1 year, people with chewing or swallowing difficulties, or people with an egg or gluten allergy.

Source: Clinical Nutrition and Food Services Unit at JHAH

spaghetti and meatballs

caring profileDr. Faisal Subhi,Specialty Internal Medicine/Dermatology

Students need to consume well-balanced and nutritious meals in appropriate amounts to meet their developmental requirements. Poor nutrition and selecting unhealthy food and drinks will negatively impact their health, such as bone and heart health, immunity, mental health, activity level, social health, and could also affect their academic abilities.

Good nutrition is essential for growth and provides the necessary nutrients for a healthier life. Poor nutrition and excessive consumption of saturated fat and sugar increase their risks of noncommunicable diseases, such as diabetes, obesity, and weak bones.

nutrition for students• Parents should provide healthy foods and drinks at home and advise their children to consume well-balanced meals and snacks. Skipping meals is not a heathy option. • Kids should eat a well-balanced breakfast before going to school. This supports cognitive thinking, focus, concentration, and it improves learning ability. • Students should consume three main meals and 2 to 3 snacks on a daily basis.• Parents and teachers should lead by example by consuming healthy food and drink, being active and maintaining proper body weight. • Students are advised to use the "My Plate" model for meals which consists of the following food groups: 1/4 of the plate is for whole grains, unsweetened cereals, whole wheat bread, rice, pastas, or potatoes to provide energy, fiber and many necessary vitamins and minerals; 1/4 of the plate is for fruits to provide vitamins, fiber, and antioxidants that support heart health, mental health, immunity, and reduce the risks of disease. (Remember, it’s better to consume whole fruits rather than juices); 1/4 of the plate is for vegetables, which provide essential vitamins, fiber, and antioxidants; and 1/4 of the plate is for protein, which includes lean meat, skinless poultry, seafood, eggs, low fat cheese, labnah, or peanut butter. • Healthy beverages should be encouraged, including low fat or nonfat milk and other dairy products. This provides students with protein, calcium and vitamin D, which are necessary for bone health. Students require 3 cups of milk, buttermilk, or yogurt daily to meet their daily calcium needs.

healthy snacks for studentsCombination foods include low fat

milkshakes, low fat or nonfat yogurt, fruit muffins made with whole-wheat flour, pudding made with low fat or nonfat milk and fruits, low fat cheese cubes and fruit.

Also consider pizza prepared with whole-wheat flour and topped with low fat cheese or skinless chicken or vegetables, sandwiches prepared with whole-wheat bread and low fat cheese, low fat labnah or hummus with vegetables, and sandwiches of skinless chicken or eggs, or crunchy peanut butter, tuna fish, or lean meat with slices of tomato or cucumber.

Other healthy foods include a fruit muffin

made with whole-wheat flour, banana cake, and carrot cake.

Also consider raw or cooked vegetables, fat free popcorn, baked potatoes topped with low fat cheese or labnah, and zaatar sandwiches made with whole-wheat bread and stuffed with low fat labnah and cheese with slices of tomato or cucumber.

what to encourage• Water is an essential nutrient for growth and aids functions such as digestion, absorption, blood circulation, and skin health. Students should drink 6-7 cups of water per day. • Low fat and nonfat milk and other dairy products instead of full fat products. • Whole grains or cereals instead of refined items (e.g., white flour) to increase the intake of fiber and other nutrients.• Fresh or dried fruits rather than canned or sweetened juices and vegetables. The best ways to consume vegetables are steamed, baked, stir-fried, or sautéed. • Foods rich in iron, such as lean meat, skinless poultry, fortified cereals and egg yolk. Iron in cooked legumes and green leafy vegetables is poorly absorbed, but vitamin C can enhance its absorption. • The healthiest methods for food preparation are steaming, baking, or grilling instead of frying. This reduces consumption of excessive fat and calories. • The best oils to use in food preparation are olive oil, sunflower oil, corn oil, or canola oil. Using animal fat, butter, ghee, margarine, coconut oil or palm oil is not recommended.

what to discourageIt is not recommended to offer students

unhealthy foods and drinks at breakfast or any meal or snacks, such as sugary drinks, white bread, sweetened cereals, chocolates, sodas, or candies.

Also, avoid sausages, cream cheese, fatty waffles and pancakes, creamy biscuits, or sweetened and fatty pastries.

Youngsters should also avoid potato chips, corned beef, Mortadella, fried chicken nuggets, as well as fatty dressings and sauces, fatty and salty popcorn, power drinks, salted nuts, and flavored and sweetened full fat milk or yogurt, and commercial puddings or custard.

helping your kids be healthy students

learn more, read more, and stay on touch.For more information about health and hygiene visit:• Ministry of Healthwww.moh.gov.sa> Awareness> Educational Content> Health Tips• Centers for Disease Control and Preventionhttp://www.cdc.gov/handwashing/ • Johns Hopkins Aramco Healthcarehttp://JHAH.com > Health Education> Read> Handwashing Prevents Infection

For more information about healthy eating for children visit:• Academy of Nutrition and Dieteticswww.eatright.org/resources/for-kids • Mayo Clinicwww.mayoclinic.org> healthy lifestyle> childrens health> in depth> nutrition for kids> art-20049335

Recommended AppsDownload the following Android Apps:• Hand Hygiene Training• Kids Good Habits• Healthy Kids Recipes

JHAH NewsRegister the personal email addresses of all your family members by sending an emailto Health.Information@JHAH.com, and they will receive the latest JHAH health and wellness news.

LinkedInFollow Johns Hopkins Aramco Healthcare (JHAH) on LinkedIn.

Email Inquiries@JHAH.com for any suggestions, comments, or general feedback about our JHAH well-being page.

Source: Clinical Nutrition and Food Services Unit at Johns Hopkins Aramco Healthcare

6 cover story October 7, 2015

shining bright

Houston — Saudi Aramco had an exceptionally strong showing at last week’s Annual Technical Conference and Exhibition (ATCE) — the flagship event of the Society of Petroleum Engineers (SPE).

The company participated in wide-ranging technical presentations and our contributions to SPE and its mission were recognized with several prestigious SPE awards.

This year’s conference witnessed much energy and debate among attendees, beginning with a lively discussion at the opening session titled "2040: The Journey and the Destination — Diverse Perspectives," with panelists speaking about the industry’s strength and resilience in the face of a cyclical market downturn.

Oil and gas professionals are indeed a tenacious group, the panelists noted. “This is the time when we do our best work. We adapt, strengthen, and innovate our way right through these challenges,” said 2015 SPE president and Statoil executive Helge Hove Haldorsen. Panelists agreed that these surges of creative genius — formed out of necessity — have shown over time to fundamentally change the industry for the better.

by Judi Ottmann

spotlight on award recipientsCharles F. Rand Memorial Gold Medal

Amin H. Nasser, president and chief executive officer of Saudi Aramco, was honored with the Charles F. Rand Memorial Gold Medal. The medal, which is given by The American Institute of Mining, Metallurgical, and Petroleum Engineers, recognizes an individual for distinguished achievement in mining administration, including metallurgy and petroleum. Recipients of this top honor are automatically elected as a Distinguished Member of SPE.

Accepting the award for Nasser was Khaled A. Al Buraik, vice president of Saudi Aramco Petroleum Engineering and Development, who said that he was privileged to represent Nasser. Al-Buraik currently serves as a director at-large for SPE International.

SPE Distinguished Membership AwardKhalid A. Zainalabedin, manager of

Saudi Aramco’s Reservoir Description and Simulation Department, was recognized as a Distinguished Member. This honor is given to SPE members who have attained eminence in the petroleum industry, the academic world, or who have made

significant contributions to SPE. A long-standing member, Zainalabedin’s

regional and international contributions to SPE have benefited the industry. In particular, he has reached out to young professionals in the field, helping them advance their skill and knowledge, and attain certification through SPE. He has been actively involved in the SPE Saudi Arabia Section (SPE-SAS), serving as section chairman, treasurer and secretary; and overseeing its program and membership committees.

“It’s a privilege to receive this award, and an honor to serve an organization that has made such a positive impact on my career,” he said. “It’s also gratifying to see the support that SPE gives to its young members.”

Young Member Outstanding Service Award

Yousif M. Al-Tahan, assistant to the vice president of Saudi Aramco Petroleum Engineering and Development, received a Young Member Outstanding Service Award. This award recognizes contributions to, and leadership in, the community, as well as SPE, the profession, and the industry, by a member under age 36.

Al-Tahan has been extensively involved

Khaled A. Al Buraik accepts the Charles F. Rand Memorial Gold Medal on behalf of Amin H. Nasser during the SPE awards ceremony in Houston.

Saudi Aramco receives prestigious SPE awards; contributions highlighted

7cover storythe arabian sun

shining bright

Houston — A team of Aramco engineers, scientists and researchers highlighted the company’s exploration and production accomplishments at the SPE Annual Technical Conference and Exhibition (ATCE) that continue to bolster the company’s strong recovery rates — some of the highest in the industry.

The company gave nea r l y 20 presentat ions dur ing the show’s technical program and within the Saudi Aramco exhibit booth. Taken together, they painted a picture of progress and innovation that is optimizing reservoir performance while protecting the environment.

New technologies — including those used to enhance subsurface imaging and well production — are emerging and capturing industry attention. The company is focused on bringing

geophysics closer to the reservoir to improve data fidelity and resolution.

Papers presented dur ing ATCE included “Water Content Effects on Dynamic Elastic Properties of Organic-rich Shale” representing work from the Aramco Research Center–Houston in collaboration with the University of Louisiana at Lafayette. The paper addressed water content or saturation as a key parameter in determining the strength of shales.

Also among the presentations were: “Proving the Concept of Unconventional Gas Reservoirs in Saudi Arabia through Multistage Fractured Wells," “Automated Workflow for Real-T ime Reservoir Management in a Large Carbonate Field,” “New Insights about Acid Fracture Conductivity at Laboratory Scale,” and “Dynamic Water Injection Profiling in Intelligent Wells Using Distributed

Acoustic Sensor with Multimode Optical Fibers.”

Additionally, the company participated in the SPE workshop series, providing a class on how to write a good technical paper.

P re s e n t a t i o n s a t t h e e x h i b i t booth highlighted our R&D centers, showcasing research advancements in the upstream and downstream sectors.

During the expo, Saudi Aramco and Aramco Services Co. representatives met with visitors interested in learning more about the company’s technology advances, job openings, and business opportunities.

SPE rotates this conference yearly between the Americas and other i n t e r na t i ona l reg i on s , d r aw ing participants from about 70 countries. Next year’s SPE ATCE will be held in Dubai.

in SPE, serving as the young professional vice chairman, publication officer, and chairman of the SPE-SAS. In 2011, he won the Regional Young Member Outstanding Service Award. He has also served on multiple technical committees to support SPE conferences in the Middle East.

“I am proud to be a part of SPE and am grateful that Saudi Aramco encourages us to get involved with this great organization,” Al-Tahan said.

President’s Award for Section ExcellenceA Pres ident’s Award for Sect ion

Excellence was presented to Bandar A. Al-Khamies, 2014-2015 chairman of

the SPE Saudi Arabia Section and YLAB coordinator at Saudi Aramco. Under his guidance, the Saudi section held 160 events attended by some 20,000 participants in a single year.

“We are very proud to have received th is internat ional and prest ig ious recognition,” Al-Khamies said, adding that i t commemorates the many dedicated volunteers who worked hard so the section could achieve such success.

Members of the Saudi section also earned “Century Club” status for outstanding SPE recruitment, with Suliman M. Azzouni, a drilling engineer with Saudi Aramco Exploration & Oil Drilling Engineering, accepting the award

on behalf of the team. Other members recognized were Sulaiman Alhassan Al Majdi, Ahmad Mohammad Alabduljabbar, and Ali Mousa. The section added 1,900 new members between June 2014 and June 2015.

Distinguished lecturers Two company representatives were

included on SPE’s 2014-2015 list of Distinguished Lecturers. They were: Muhammad Muqeem, a supervisor in the Saudi Aramco Drill ing Technical Department; and B.R. Reddy, a senior petroleum engineering consultant at the Aramco Research Center–Houston.

Several Aramcons were honored during this year's session of the ATCE. Among those recognized for their committment to SPE and excellence in their respective fields were, from left, Yousif M. Al-Tahan accepting a Young Member Outstanding Service Award from SPE president Helge Hove Halderson; Khalid A. Zainalabedin with his Distinguished Membership Award; Suliman M. Azzouni with the Century Club Award; and Bandar A. Al-Khamies with the President’s Award for Section Excellence.

Saudi Aramco receives prestigious SPE awards; contributions highlighted

Aramco highlights technologyinnovation at ATCE

I am proud to be part of SPE and am grateful that Saudi Aramco encourages us to get involved with this great organization.

— Yousif M. Al-Tahan

”

October 7, 2015

8 company news

spotlight

Khaled A. Al Buraik, vice president of Petroleum Engineering and Development, center, is joined by a team of engineers, scientists, and researchers at the SPE Annual Technical Conference and Exhibition (ATCE) held in Houston. During the event, several Aramcons were recognized for outstanding accomplishments. Also, the company gave nearly 20 presentations during the show’s technical program and from within our company booth.

pg 6

The first AOC cohort of Change Management practitioners pose for a photo following one of the two workshops designed to learn how to effecitvely apply change management processes and align AOC initiatives with stakeholder needs.

pg 4

The second AOC cohort of Change Management certified practitioners pose with Michelle Lowe, AOC supervisor of Learning and Development (fifth from left). A total of 22 project leaders attended the two workshops.

pg 4

Graduates from the Specialist Development Program pose with members of management and program organizers. The program is fulfilled under the administration of the Exploration Human Resources and Training Group of Planning and Support Staff. The mentor candidate program started in 1998 and develops geoscientists to become effective specialists. (Photo: Mahdi Al Ali/MPD)

pg 3

10 this and that October 7, 2015

73 Adidas competitor 74 Horse of the Year,

1960-’64 75 City SSW of Seville 77 Old studio letters 81 Ones wrapping

around a pole? 82 Casual top 83 Crescent piece 84 Prayer starter 85 Prayer book for

kids? 88 Leave for a bit 90 Memorable 1893

defendant 91 “__ a pity” 92 Ready to eat 93 Follower 94 Boxster maker 98 Rustle (up) 100 2000s NCAA

president __ Brand 101 Shinto temple

entrance 103 General Arnold of

WWII 104 Last-minute jilters? 106 Flower hater’s

bugbear? 108 Old Nair rival 109 Draft recipient 110 Fail to say 111 Spread measure 112 Two caplets, say 113 They may follow

teams 114 Do a lawn repair job 115 Luau music makers

down

1 Concretereinforcing rod

2 ’90s “SNL” regular Cheri

3 Accident consequence, perhaps

4 Triple __ 5 Just-in-case item 6 Part of a traveler’s

budget, perhaps 7 Chartres cleric 8 Board game with

“aluminum siding” by Jake Braun crossword

sudoku

(C) yoogi.com

easy

last week’s answer

across 1 Seriously

deteriorates 5 Item sold in sheets 10 “Social contract”

philosopher 15 Pit-__ 19 To be, to Bizet 20 Pelican State sub 21 Behavioral guide 22 Moneyed, in

Málaga 23 Easy summer

listening? 25 Important exam for

shady lenders? 27 “I have to go out!” 28 Van Gogh setting 29 Kadetts, e.g. 30 “Let me repeat

... ” 31 Mixes, as cards 33 Set out 35 Novelist Waugh 36 Wrath 37 Record player 38 Ciudad BolÌvar’s

river 41 Thoroughbreds’

annual dance? 45 De Matteo of “The

Sopranos” 46 Black dog 47 King dog 48 Calm 49 Diet for

conspirators? 51 Celestial altar 52 Substitute for a

bad word 53 Reheats 55 Nutritional figs. 56 “Cheers” role 57 “Cheers” order 58 Island setting for

the 10th season of “Survivor”

59 Words to a captain 61 Really bad beverage? 65 Inept shepherd 68 Biker’s invite 69 Gettysburg

Campaign VIP 70 Dairy sight

last week's crossword answer

Each row, column and 3-by-3 square must contain only one of each digit, from 1-9.

Take your Arabian Sun with you while on the move.

cheeseshaped tokens

9 British novelist Barbara

10 Electric guitar innovator

11 End of a list 12 Attribute, with

“up” 13 Creme de cassis flavored beverage 14 Theologian who

opposed Luther 15 Gotten up 16 Cocktail invented in

Puerto Rico 17 Trendy berry 18 Related 24 Rockers Van __ 26 Like sons and

daughters 29 Beatles nonsense

syllables 32 Cold, to Carlos 34 “Oh dear!” 35 Specialty 37 Only 38 Jupiter and Saturn 39 Chip, Skip or Harry

of broadcasting 40 Quite big 41 Some TVs 42 Surrounding glow 43 Poll man 44 Company cars, as a

group 45 Block, beaverstyle 49 Stuff 50 For nothing 52 Wearing nothing 53 Large mackerel 54 Actor Ladd 58 Patients’ main MDs,

to insurers 59 AARP concern 60 Santa __ Valley:

California vineyard region

61 Endure 62 Leading 63 Take it easy 64 Electric guitar wood 65 Spiked cakes 66 Hardly secret

67 Per-unit pay scales 70 Verify with several

sources 71 Norman’s home:

Abbr. 72 Winter fabric 74 Stomach

discomfort 75 Customers 76 Romance novel

publisher 79 Barrel maker 80 Hot-and-cold fits 81 Prefix with morph 82 Three-pronged

letters 85 Generic

trendsetters 86 “Redemption”

author 87 “Let __!”: “Get

going!” 89 PNC Park player 90 Charged 93 “Not a chance!” 94 Where to see many

El Greco works 95 No longer squeaky 96 Le __, France 97 Pentathlon blades 98 Painting medium 99 “Pinocchio”

goldfish 100 One of a daily trio 102 Publisher Chandler 105 ENVY and OMEN

laptops 106 Distribution word 107 Water under le

pont

12the arabian sun

The Arabian Sun is a week-ly publication issued free of charge by the Public Relations Department for Saudi Aramco employees.

Publishing Director: Haitham K. JehairanEditors: Jamsheed Din, Todd WilliamsEditorial staff: Eamonn Houston, Scott Baldauf, Jeff McCoshen and Rawan Nasser.

Correspondence may be addressed to the editor, R-87, Dhahran Heights, Building 9156 (D Wing)Articles may be reproduced provid-ed The Arabian Sun is credited.

Room 87, Dhahran Heights, Building 9156, D Wing, Dhahran, Saudi ArabiaTelephone, (013) 876-0374 Email: publishing@aramco.comISSN: 1319-156X

keeping a close eye ...Essam Al-Khulifi captured this image of a Diptera insect while on a 15-day expedition in Kiunga National Park in Papua New Guinea this year. Using his Canon EOS 7D Mk II camera with special settings, he was able to get a close-up shot of the insect that thrives in the vast jungles of Papua New Guinea. Al-Khulifi, who lives in Dhahran, works with Joint Venture Growth and Development and has been with the company for nine years.

Members of the Dhahran Women's Toastmasters Club's group gather together to celebrate the club's first year in operation.

Dhahran — What happens when you take 47 women from at least 18 various nations, mix in their speeches of five to seven minutes in length, and stir in their leadership projects? You have a formula for a Toastmasters club of extraordinarily high caliber — one that has achieved the President’s Distinguished Club award within one year of its inception led by a newly cast Distinguished Toastmaster and president Akanke Abdul-Khaaliq. And to top it off, the Dhahran Women’s Toastmasters Club’s (DWTC) membership was active for only 10 months of its one-year cycle.

The (DWTC) held its first annual year-end event at Al Khaleej Hall in Dhahran.

While guests arrived and mingled, sergeant-at-arms Sadia Jamil (who was awarded the Advanced Leadership Bronze certificate and Toastmaster of the year) opened the program. The varied program, emceed in the first part by Magda Daifi and Sayeeda Waheed, was designed to echo a mosaic, with an assortment of

short presentations and speeches. Before the break, the audience heard inspirational messages from Nuha Hashem, vice president at education and president-elect, Akanke Abdul-Khaaliq, Distinguished Toastmaster and president, and Bilquis Ahmed, all of whom shared insight into the achievements of the club.

The event included the DWTC’s District Awards, which were presented by Dr. Soliman Almadi, Division M governor, and included two congratulatory video messages from Joey Villanueva, District 79 governor and Distinguished Toastmaster, and his wife, Maria Teresa Olarte-Villanueva, also a

by Karla Freiheit

Dhahran Women’s Toastmasters Club marks a year with awards, ceremony

see page 9

breast cancer awareness monthJohns Hopkins Aramco Healthcare rolls out the campaign schedule for its Breast Cancer Awareness Campaign in Saudi Aramco communities.

Distinguished Toastmaster.After the break, Tirina Amabeoku, newly

elected sergeant at arms, opened the next portion of the program. Abdul-Khaaliq and Hashem presented member education awards, acknowledging the hard work put in by individual members who earned their Competent Communicator and Competent Leadership certificates.

The audience was treated to an impromptu speaking challenge (known as table topics in Toastmasters lingo) hosted by Priya Abraham, who prepared various questions on the topic of "journeys." Several adults and youth volunteered responses to these questions,

with 12-year-old Yahya Kharbat and 9-year-old Zoya Waheed receiving standing ovations for their responses. Additionally, Daifi and Karla Freiheit introduced each of their High Performance Leadership projects of publishing a book of memorable DWTC speeches and A Mosaic of Journeys art project.

Next, Samantha Horseman, guest of honor, administrator of wellcare (Preventive Medicine) at JHAH, and president of the Institute for Health & Productivity Management, shared her thoughts on the role wellness plays in the lives of women. This served as a cogent reminder to lead healthy lifestyles to have the energy needed to be active members of our respective clubs.

Sprinkled throughout the second part of the program, Samantha Jackson presented door prizes. Some audience members were lucky enough to find a special sticker at their seat, and upon claiming their prizes, they were invited to share their thoughts in an impromptu speaking moment. These gifts were just one small gesture to the about 70 guests, many of whom were family and friends, acknowledging the roles they play in the success of club members.

This second part of the program also included a presentation of special awards, created by DWTC as a fun way to recognize achievement, and the “Handing Over the Gavel” ceremony conducted by Mazen Al Sadat, Area 20 governor. Abdul-Khaaliq and Hashem closed the program with their moving final remarks about their experiences with starting the club, chartered on June 30, 2014.

As the saying goes, many hands make light work. The “hands” that contributed to "A Mosaic of Journeys" and acknowledged by Toastmaster Najat Abu-Haliqa in her heartfelt Expression of Thanks, are too many to list here. All contributions from behind the scenes made this first annual year-end celebration a grand success, which is a testament to the vitality and strength of the Dhahran Women’s Toastmasters Club and all of its cherished members.