China Petrochemical Corporation (Sinopec Group) held a virtual open day event focusing on the company's sustainable development in Saudi Arabia on Sept 11.
Themed "Better Energy, Better Life", the event was the first of its kind held by Sinopec Group in a foreign country and the last in the first series of virtual open day events held by Chinese central state-owned enterprises (SOEs).
The company has long been providing high-quality engineering technologies and refining and petrochemical engineering services, as well as equipment, products and materials to the petroleum and petrochemical projects in the country.
The open day event showcased the company's four-year super-large three-dimensional geophysical project in Saudi Arabia.
More than 1,000 Sinopec Group staff are currently contributing to the country's oil and gas exploration in a desert of more than 200 square kilometers where the temperature can be as high as 50 degrees Celsius. [Photo/sasac.gov.cn]
The story can be traced back to 2004 when Sinopec Group sent its first geophysical prospecting team to Saudi Arabia.
To date, the team has carried out nine missions demonstrating professional skills, advanced management and outstanding performances, winning affirmation from the buyers and other enterprises throughout the petroleum and petrochemical industry.
More than 1,000 Sinopec Group staff are currently contributing to the country's oil and gas exploration in a desert of more than 200 square kilometers where the temperature can be as high as 50 degrees Celsius.
In 2000, Saudi Arabia welcomed Sinopec Group's first drilling rig. Now there are nearly 70 drilling machines are working in the country's petroleum and natural gas development.
To support the rapid development of drilling technology Sinopec Group launched an institute of petroleum technology in Dhahran Techno Valley in 2017, the first Chinese research and development center in the country.
The institute is a reflection of the concept that open cooperation should be the rule in China's research and development of petroleum technology. It is also an opportunity for the company to grow into a world-leading clean energy chemical enterprise.
In addition to professional development, Sinopec Group also fulfills its social responsibilities throughout all projects, promoting local employment and participating in construction of infrastructure.
For example, it founded the Sinopec Saudi Arabia Training Center in 2008, as the company's first overseas training center, aims to cultivate petroleum-engineering talents.
So far, the center has held 1,310 training courses and trained more than 30,000 people.
It also held exchange and cooperation events with Saudi Aramco's training center and similar training institutes of other countries.
In partnership with the Saudi Arabian Drilling Academy, the center plays a role in improving young people's technical skills, increasing their employment prospects.
A reading room was also set up in the center where trainees can learn about Chinese culture.
It's worth mentioning that Sinopec Group is also involved in construction of interchanges and passages in more than 30 Saudi Arabian cities as well as water transmission and irrigation systems.
The company will continue to support Saudi Arabia's national strategy Vision 2030 and contribute to deepening its friendship with China.
What's more, a book telling the stories of 100 overseas employees of Sinopec Group was released during the event and the company announced that the official accounts of Sinopec Group in Russia on Facebook, Twitter and VK were newly online. People everywhere can now learn about the company's development in Russia via the accounts.
Sinopec Group has 327 resident offices in 60 countries and regions, 350 projects underway, and about 52,000 overseas employees.
Sinopec Group has about 52,000 overseas employees. [Photo/sasac.gov.cn]
In recent year, it has participated in international energy cooperation, built international cooperation platforms and formed a long-term and public-beneficial win-win model.
It has also played a role in helping countries like Saudi Arabia, Russia and Kuwait in their transformation from resource exporters into deep processing countries, which leads to sustainable development.
Sinopec Group is fully committed to prevention and control of the COVID-19 pandemic while guaranteeing progress of its overseas projects. It stands firmly with local governments and people in the fight for public health and the pursuit of commercial development.
(Executive editor: Hao Wen)
