Our First Full Day

I was up bright and early after only a few hours sleep. I had a quick breakfast in the dining hall and was ready to go by 7:45 am. Our first stop was the Saudi Aramco Exhibit. This is a museum of the history and science behind Aramco's oil exploration and extraction. A man named Tariq was our tour guide. I learned all sorts of things about oil extraction. For example, the oil is not in big pools under the ground waiting to bubble up through a well. It is in the rocks and pressure is used to move it out of the rocks and up to the surface. A well pipe with a diameter of about 5 inches produces between 40,000-70,000 barrels of oil per DAY!

We also learned about Muslim accomplishments in the areas of mathematics, science, and medicine. It was an impressive exhibit.

Our next stop was at the Saudi Aramco corporate building called the Exploration and Petroleum Center (EXPEC). This was a state of the art facility in which geologists were at their desks behind three large computer screens directing the drilling of wells all over Saudi Arabia. Each geologist could direct 5 drilling sites at once. We watched as several were manuvering drills via their computers. The technology was incredible. It was also a secure area and so no cameras were allowed. Security is very tight here in other ways. When our bus leaves the Aramco compound an armed patrol car travels with us. I think this is a precaution that Aramco is taking to ensure our safety.