CEO video call to Riyadh Refinery employees

In a recent video conference call with Saudi Aramco’s Riyadh Refinery and Distribution employees, Saudi Aramco president and CEO Amin Nasser reiterated that the health and well-being of every employee is essential for the company’s business continuity plans to succeed.

“Wherever we are working from to support the company during this critical time, be it at refineries and plants, bulk plants, or at home, your health and well-being is essential for our business continuity,” Nasser said.

He was joined on the call by Abdulaziz M. Al-Gudaimi, senior vice president of Downstream; Suleman A. Al-Bargan, vice president of Domestic Refining and NGL Fractionation; Abdullah M. Al Mansour, vice president of Pipelines, Distribution and Terminals; and Abdulrahman A. Al Fadhel, manager of the Riyadh Refinery Department, as well as colleagues from the operational areas.

Ready for the unexpected
Nasser went on to express his appreciation for the readiness of the Riyadh Refinery teams, as they are currently conducting turnaround and inspection (T&I) activities at various refining facilities.

He cited lessons learned from last September’s attacks on Abqaiq and Khurais, which highlighted the need to “expect the unexpected,” and be ready to step up and respond quickly during times of adversity.

Adding that the COVID-19 pandemic is another test of Saudi Aramco’s capabilities and resilience, he noted that employees are working hard, making many sacrifices and observing health and safety precautions. Nasser highlighted how the company had to increase production to the maximum sustainable capacity of 12 million barrels of crude oil a day within less than three weeks; adding that this milestone moment in Saudi Aramco history demonstrated the readiness of employees and how every organization worked closely together to achieve this target.

Coming together to fight COVID-19
The company has undertaken stringent measures to tackle COVID-19, with the establishment of an executive task force headed by Nabeel A. Al Jama’, acting service line head of Operations and Business Services, while Johns Hopkins Aramco Healthcare’s (JHAH) response and readiness level was also elevated as the pandemic spread globally.

“JHAH is a significant contributor to our business continuity plans,” Nasser said.

The Riyadh Refinery, along with other Saudi Aramco refineries in-Kingdom, is playing an important role to support critical services, infrastructure, and the health care sector in the country’s efforts to fight the disease.

“We are continuing the momentum and service to support the Kingdom,” Al Fadhel said.

Fahad H. Al Salhi, Central Region Distribution Department manager, said during the videoconference that the Riyadh Bulk Plant has implemented safe distancing and stringent guidelines for 4,000 drivers who come through the plants in trucks.