Communities

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Saudi Aramco operates four private, gated communities for expatriates, their families and other company professionals. The communities are located within easy commuting distance of Saudi Aramco's facilities and offices, providing housing, shopping, health and dental care, schools and recreational activities.

Each community – Dhahran, Ras Tanura, Abqaiq and Udhailiyah – has its own unique character, with access to local dining and shopping as well as unique points of interest.

Dhahran

Nearby: Al-Khobar, Half Moon Bay (yacht club and private beach)

Dhahran, the largest community with a population of 10,000, is home to Saudi Aramco's worldwide headquarters and renowned upstream research and development center, EXPEC ARC. Other corporate functions managed in Dhahran include finance, exploration, engineering, drilling services, medical services and materials supply.

Dhahran features one of one of the Middle East's most-challenging golf courses, and has three recreational centers with swimming pools, tennis and squash courts, a bowling alley, library and movie theater. Other activities include horseback riding at the community's farm, exercising on hike-and-bike paths, and joining a game of soccer or rugby on the company fields.

A marina and private beach facility are a 15-minute bus or car ride from Dhahran, located on a small inlet of the Arabian Gulf. Sailing, fishing and waterskiing are popular family activities.

The nearby town of Al-Khobar provides a wide range of shopping and dining options, with shopping malls hosting more than 200 retail outlets as well as fine dining and fast-food outlets. Al-Khobar's traditional merchants and markets can be an excellent source of antiques and other culturally unique items.

Ras Tanura

Nearby: Ras Tanura private beach, Rahima, Dhahran

Ras Tanura, with a population of 1,800, is a beachside community on the Arabian Gulf. It serves expatriates working in aviation or marine operations, the Ras Tanura refinery and two nearby company-owned and operated gas plants.

In addition to stables for horseback riding, Ras Tanura offers a unique grassless golf course and driving range featuring views of the Gulf. A private beach brings all the fun of being by the sea, from walking paths and splash pads to a children's park next door to the surf house with snack bar. The community's youth center is a fully supervised recreational center with table tennis, pool tables, electronic games and a television room.

Outside Ras Tanura, the town of Rahima has a collection of gold markets (suqs), appliance stores, fruit and vegetable markets, and several restaurants.

Ras Tanura is approximately 40 miles north of Dhahran and serviced by a free community bus that runs between Ras Tanura, Dhahran and Abqaiq.

Abqaiq

Nearby: Desert camping, oasis city of Hofuf, Abqaiq, Abqaiq private beach, Dhahran

Abqaiq, also known as the "friendly city," has a population of 1,500 and serves as Saudi Aramco's main oil processing center. The community lies near Rub'al'Khali, the largest continuous body of sand in the world. It's also about 40 miles from the oasis city of Hofuf, known for its ancient caves, pottery works and markets that sell gold and fabric as well as fruits and vegetables.

Abqaiq's large recreation complex contains a dining hall, library and meeting rooms. The community also has stables with horseback riding, two swimming pools, a weight room, bowling alley, jogging track, baseball and soccer fields, tennis and basketball courts, and an 18-hole grassless golf course with clubhouse.

At the company's private beach about 40 minutes away, expatriates enjoy fishing, sunbathing, sailing and swimming. The nearby desert is popular for camping. Close to Abqaiq, the town of Medinat is home to restaurants, a gold market (suq) and a fruit and vegetable market.

Udhailiyah

Nearby: Oasis city of Hofuf, Dhahran

Udhailiyah, with a population of 1,000, is the newest Saudi Aramco-operated community, and is located about 100 miles southwest of the company's headquarters in Dhahran. It serves employees supporting oil and gas operations in the region as well as medical professionals working at the company's area health facility.

The community's recreation facilities include stables with horseback riding; a swimming pool and a children's paddling pool; bowling alley; tennis, squash and racquetball courts; state-of-the-art exercise rooms; and saunas and hot tubs. In addition, a scenic 18-hole grassless golf course has been carved into Udhailiyah's foothills, or "jebels," and a movie theater and supervised youth center are available on the community grounds.

The nearest town is the oasis city of Hofuf, about 45 minutes away, which can be reached by private company bus three times a week. In addition to several historical sites, including ancient caves, Hofuf offers a variety of shopping for items such as gold, housewares and fabric, as well as fruit and vegetable markets. A company bus also provides service to Dhahran and other Saudi Aramco communities.

 

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