{ "lang": "en", "start": "Start", "loading": "Loading", "back": "Back", "ar": "Ar", "en": "En", "sound": "Sound", "previous_mobile": "Prev.", "next_mobile": "Next", "learn_more": "Learn more", "longpress": "Press to discover", "longpress_cta": "Explore", "here": "You are here", "drag": "Drag to explore", "close": "Close", "main_title": "The birth of oil, of a Kingdom, of Aramco", "number_1": "I", "number_2": "II", "number_3": "III", "number_4": "IV", "number_5": "V", "number_6": "VI", "number_7": "VII", "number_8": "VIII", "chapter_1_title": "The birth \nof oil", "chapter_1_slide_1_title": "The perfect combination", "chapter_1_slide_1_content": "The formation of hydrocarbon deposits requires several key geological events to occur in a very specific order. Hundreds of millions of years ago, these events started to take place, in the perfect combination and on an exceptional scale, on an area of ancient seafloor which would one day form Saudi Arabia.
\n This is that story.", "chapter_1_slide_1_learn_more_title": "Long ago", "chapter_1_slide_1_learn_more": "Our journey begins 800 million years ago, when large parts of the Earth’s crust began fusing together to form the Gondwana continent at the southern pole. The base of the Arabian peninsula that we know today was fused around 650 million years ago as part of Gondwana, and remained so for most of the Paleozoic (541-252 million years ago) and Mesozoic (252-66 million years ago) eras; largely submerged and covered by sedimentary rocks.", "chapter_1_slide_2_title": "Continual shift", "chapter_1_slide_2_content": "Throughout the Paleozoic, Mesozoic, and Cenozoic eras there was a continual shifting of continents. Until, towards the end of the Paleozoic era, about 335 million years ago, Gondwana and all other continents fused together to form the most recent supercontinent, the Pangea.", "chapter_1_slide_2_learn_more_title": "Plate tectonics", "chapter_1_slide_2_learn_more": "During the Mesozoic era, in the Jurassic period, the Pangea supercontinent split in two, Laurasia in the north and Gondwana in the south. Later in the Mesozoic era, during the Cretaceous period, Gondwana also divided in two, forming South America in the west and Africa in the east.

The northeastern most part of Africa, which Arabia was then part of, began doming. Whilst continued plate tectonics resulted in the collision of the African and Eurasian plates at the beginning of the Cenozoic era.

As Arabia moved northeast, it began subducting under the Eurasian Plate, forming petroleum traps.", "chapter_1_slide_3_title": "The birth of oceans", "chapter_1_slide_3_content": "This continual shift was a contributing factor in the birth of oceans as sea levels rose. Gondwana and Laurasia were separated by the Neo-Tethys Ocean, and South America and Africa by the Atlantic Ocean. The thermal doming of the African continent was also a precursor to the opening of the Red Sea. Arabia was mostly submerged under these ancient oceans throughout the last 500 million years.", "chapter_1_slide_3_learn_more_title": "", "chapter_1_slide_3_learn_more": "", "chapter_1_slide_4_title": "Something extraordinary", "chapter_1_slide_4_content": "At the beginning of Paleozoic era and throughout the Mesozoic and Cenozoic eras something extraordinary was occurring, as the Earth witnessed the evolution of large numbers of creatures. Although major glaciation events resulted in mass extinctions, life, both on land and in the oceans rebounded time and again. From microorganisms such as phytoplankton, zooplankton, and bacteria to large mammals, arachnids, and birds.", "chapter_1_slide_4_learn_more_title": "Organic material", "chapter_1_slide_4_learn_more": "Over millions of years, this organic material was buried under gradually accruing layers of sedimentary rock and subjected to growing heat and pressure. These conditions resulted in the formation of oil and gas.", "chapter_2_title": "The birth \nof a Kingdom", "chapter_2_slide_1_title": "Boom time", "chapter_2_slide_1_content": "In the 1800s commercial oil production boomed with the discovery of oil in a British coal mine. Within a century, oil had displaced coal as the primary fuel for industry and helped usher in the era of engine-powered transportation, industrial automation, and accessible electricity.", "chapter_2_slide_1_learn_more_title": "Eternal flames", "chapter_2_slide_1_learn_more": "As demand for oil increased, pioneers were on the hunt for new leads and opportunities. One of these leads was rumors of ‘eternal flames.’ These flames are petroleum seeps that were central to ancient religious practices for thousands of years – from Indonesia and Iran to Azerbaijan and Italy. Oil pioneers saw these ‘eternal flames’ as an indication that hydrocarbons were present in their locality.

And, following the discovery of commercial quantities of oil in 1908 in Persia, what would become Iran, these pioneers soon turned their attention to the rest of the region.", "chapter_2_slide_2_title": "Widening the search", "chapter_2_slide_2_content": "In the early 1930s, a geologist named Fred Davies was surveying on the island of Bahrain. As he looked out over the Gulf to the mainland, he noticed a group of hills that looked similar to the one he was standing on. Could these domes be a potential indicator of an underground structure holding trapped oil? Excited by the prospect he appealed to his company, Standard Oil Company of California (SOCAL) to extend their drilling concession to the Arabian mainland.", "chapter_2_slide_2_learn_more_title": "The search is on", "chapter_2_slide_2_learn_more": "In 1933 permission was granted by the Saudi government to explore the country for oil.

So, in the early part of the 20th century, wildcat teams from the US arrived – expert well-drillers who travelled the world in search of oil and with them was Max Steineke.

In 1937, accompanied by chief mechanic Floyd Meeker the pair ventured on a trip across the Arabian Peninsula. During that trip they made some startling discoveries.", "chapter_2_slide_3_title": "A daunting challenge", "chapter_2_slide_3_content": "Exploring Arabia in the 1930s was a daunting challenge for foreigners. Remember, there was no a/c or 4-wheel drive. There was this beautiful but challenging environment that these explorers had to work in. So, early geologists turned to locals for help. The most famous of these indigenous guides was Khamis Bin Rimthan.", "chapter_2_slide_3_learn_more_title": "Tuwaiq mountains", "chapter_2_slide_3_learn_more": "With their knowledge of the terrain and the weather, men like Rimthan were essential for Steineke’s expedition across the Peninsula. It was these locals that afforded him a wealth of information about the geology of the region. One location in particular, was the majestic Tuwaiq mountains in central Arabia.

These mountains literally reveal their variegated, layered rocks to the naked eye, affording Steineke a glimpse back through time. Could they also indicate that oil and gas was lurking somewhere beneath his feet waiting to be discovered?", "chapter_2_slide_4_title": "Dahil Heet", "chapter_2_slide_4_content": "Another location the pair visited was a sinkhole called the Dahil Heet, southeast of Riyadh. It was here that they discovered anhydrite, a rock that in other parts of the Kingdom is found deep within the earth.", "chapter_2_slide_4_learn_more_title": "", "chapter_2_slide_4_learn_more": "", "chapter_2_slide_5_title": "Arab Rock", "chapter_2_slide_5_content": "Anhydrite is an impermeable rock that traps oil by forming a seal and prevents it from escaping to the surface or dispersing into surrounding rocks, as it migrates laterally and vertically over vast distances. Locating this rock on the surface was unusual, and it supported an emerging theory…
\n Could Arabia be tilted?", "chapter_2_slide_5_learn_more_title": "", "chapter_2_slide_5_learn_more": "", "chapter_2_slide_6_title": "“Drill a little deeper”", "chapter_2_slide_6_content": "The Dammam well number 7 was already planned to be deep but facing difficulties with the drilling operation, results that were less than expected and facing growing pressure, Steineke insisted to ‘drill a little deeper.’
\n The rest, as they say, is history.", "chapter_2_slide_6_learn_more_title": "March 4, 1938", "chapter_2_slide_6_learn_more": "Steineke’s persistence eventually paid dividends. This deep-test well, drilling at a depth of just over 4,700 feet finally struck oil in commercial quantities and revealed Saudi Arabia possessed one of the largest crude oil reserves in the world.", "chapter_3_title": "The birth \nof Aramco", "chapter_3_slide_1_title": "Today", "chapter_3_slide_1_content": "Almost ninety years on from that initial discovery of oil, hydrocarbons have been a vital part of the global energy mix and Aramco has developed into a successful company, supplying oil, gas, and a range of refined products.", "chapter_3_slide_1_learn_more_title": "", "chapter_3_slide_1_learn_more": "", "chapter_3_slide_2_title": "Tomorrow", "chapter_3_slide_2_content": "Our pioneering spirit will always be with us.
\n And, we will endeavour to remain at the forefront of the design and deployment of new technologies created to help pave the way to a more orderly energy transition supporting global developments in lower-carbon energy sources and supplies, whilst continuing to provide affordable, accessible energy to the world.", "chapter_3_slide_2_learn_more_title": "Our pioneering spirit will always be with us.

And, we will endeavour to remain at the forefront of the design and deployment of new technologies created to help pave the way to a more orderly energy transition supporting global developments in lower-carbon energy sources and supplies, whilst continuing to provide affordable, accessible energy to the world.", "chapter_3_slide_2_learn_more": "", "end_text_1": "Aramco
Where energy is opportunity", "end_text_2": "You have just witnessed
The birth of oil, of a Kingdom, of Aramco", "restart": "Restart the experience" }

More