No flood risk for Jubail factories

Oil, gas and petrochemical plants in the Eastern Province, including Jubail and Ras Al-Khair, are safe from the effects of heavy rains, said an official source at the General Authority for Industrial Security at the Ministry of Interior.
The infrastructure of the two cities is strong and the source said that industrial facilities apply the highest levels of safety and the most accurate means of protection from natural and industrial disasters.
Officials from the Royal Commission (RC) also confirmed that Jubail’s plants have advanced safety and security programs, which are maintained on a regular basis.
Still, many citizens were concerned about the consequences of the recent heavy rains accompanying thunderstorm and lightning on the area’s plants.
Districts of Huwaillat, Alulu and Alshati used to be the preferred choices for the city residents, as they are the closest to the RC building, colleges and institutes, Jubail Intercontinental and other important facilities.
Residents became less eager to live in these areas as industrial plants increased in number over the years.
Majed Ali, a Huwillat resident said, “During the summer season, in particular at dawn in August, we saw large clouds of smoke coming from the plants. We smelled a very strong chemical and gas smoke and now we are worried about the lightning and thunderstorms!”
Hassan Ibrahim, an RC employee staying at the Royal’s singles residential area of Alshati district said, “I don’t know what are the necessary precautions that RC has taken in this regard but on the Internet I saw the Faisaliyah Tower in Riyadh hit by lightning and I do turn off all my devices during the heavy rains here.”
Industrial Jubail or ‘Al-Jubail Al-Sinaiyah’ is divided into two main areas. The Ministry of the Interior supervises the first, for basic industries, around the clock for safety and security.
The second area, for support and secondary industries, is supervised by Civil Defense for their implementation of safety programs and training.
RC runs the entire 38-year-old industrial city and more than 80 percent of Jubail companies are members of the Industrial Disasters Protection Committee.
The city hosts and celebrates international environmental and industrial conferences and exhibitions every year.
Director-General of Civil Defense, Col. Abdullah Al-Rawaf, said that field teams have continued their daily work and kept an eye on support and secondary industries in Industrial Jubail. “We have monitored the safety situation during the recent rainfall, and no emergency case was recorded,” said Al-Rawaf.