This massive industrial
complex on the Arabian gulf, along with Yanbu, its twin on the Red Sea, stands as a symbol
of the government's vision of Saudi Arabia's future development. The Royal Commission for
Jubail and Yanbu was established to plan and administer all installations in these two
"cities." An ancient center of the Eastern Province and a caravan junction, the
city of Jubail was famed for pearling. Located near the oil producing area, it was found
suitable as the site of the world's largest petrochemical complex. Jubail industrial city
has been divided into five zones:1.The Industrial Zone has nineteen
main factories with 136 ancillary installations, and produces steel, aluminum, plastic and
fertilizers under the supervision of the Saudi Basic Industries Corporation (SABIC). This
zone covers an area of 8,000 hectares, or approximately eighty kilometers. In catering to
diverse needs, SABIC leases fully developed and fully equipped industrial sites at nominal
rents.
2.The Residential Area is composed of eight localities built on an
adjacent island linked to the mainland. There are 40,000 inhabitants. The area has the
capacity to accommodate 375,000 people in modern up-to-date houses.
3.The Airport Area, covering an area of 250 kilometers, has the
capacity to receive all types of aircraft and handles the transportation of passengers and
freight.
4.The Picnic Zone, situated to the West of the industrial zone, covers
an area of 204 kilometers. To the residents of the city, it is an invaluable recreation
area. It encompasses verdant sites, playgrounds and facilities for water sports. The zone
is set among abundant trees and rare plants.
5.Al-Batwah Island is affiliated with Jubail Industrial city. A picnic
site with a park and a zoo, it features plant nurseries, fishing sites and a marina.
The main projects in Jubail as well as
Yanbu supervised by SABIC are the following:
1.The Saudi Iron and Steel Company (Hadeed)
2.The Saudi Methanol Company (Al-Razi)
3.The Jubail Fertilizer Company (Samad)
4.The Jubail Petrochemicals Company (Kemya)
5.Saudi Petrochemicals Company (Sadaf)
6.The National Methanol Company (Ibn Sina)
7.The Arabian Petrochemicals Company (Petra-Kemya)
8.The Oriental Petrochemicals Company (Sharq)
9.The National Industrial Gas Company (Gas)
10.The National Plastics Company (Ibn Hayyan)
11.The Saudi-European Petrochemicals Company (Ibn Zahr)
12.The Saudi Chemical Fertilizer Company (Ibn Al-Bitar)
SABIC's investment in these projects amounts to SR33.5 billion. The Saudi Consolidated
Electric Company (SCECO) supplies Jubail Industrial City with 6,000 megawatts of
electricity. Communication links within the Kingdom and abroad have been effected through
microwave axial cables and a telex network.
Education in Jubail Industrial City
The Institute of Royal Commission for the Development of Human research trains its
students in scores of skills that fill the needs of its industries. The Institute enrolls
650 students annually in its lecture halls, training classrooms and fully equipped
laboratories. It provides residential quarters for students and professors alike. As a
more basic level, there are kindergartens, general schools and language schools where
Arabic is taught to non-native speakers at a pre-secondary level. To cope with the special
nature of the industrial cities, the Royal Commission prepares tailored syllabi for its
students, which reinforces the Syllabi issued by the ministry of education.
Health care in Jubail
The Royal Commission has established hospitals, primary care clinics (10), centers for
environmental health, vocational health, health awareness and training schools for
first-aid and epidemic control. Juwailan hospital in Jubail, with its 200 beds, is capable
of dealing with all aspects of health care. Fully computerized, it contains specialist
dietary and alternative medicine clinics in addition to quarantine wards. The medical
needs of the community can be said to be fully covered.
King Fahd Industrial Port
Jubail has a complex of ports for different import and export needs. The largest is King
Fahd Industrial Port, situated north of the industrial corridor. Nine kilometers in
length, it is made up of nine berths, two storage yards and numerous service platforms. It
contains a marine loading station for tankers that is four kilometers in length. A berth
is reserved for petrochemical products and one station for the loading and unloading of
iron ore.
