December 31, 2025 [ Aramco.com ]- An inside look at a day-in-the-life of an engineer in Aramco’s Oil Supply Planning and Scheduling (OSPAS) organization.

Each morning, before starting work at 6:30 a.m., Rakan H. Albeladi goes for a jog to prepare for the busy day ahead.

“It helps clear my mind, boost my energy levels, and set a productive tone to take on a busy workday,” he says.

It’s easy to understand why he does this. Albeladi’s job as an engineer at Aramco’s Oil Supply Planning and Scheduling (OSPAS) Organization requires nonstop concentration and the ability to respond quickly to any issues that may occur.

OSPAS is situated in Aramco’s Dhahran headquarters, the Company’s operational ‘nerve center’ which plans, schedules, coordinates, and monitors the movement of hydrocarbons from operating facilities and plants through pipelines, terminals, and tankers to customers. OSPAS, which spans our entire hydrocarbon network, provides a real-time view of our supply, supporting the Company in achieving its production targets and meeting customer demand while running with minimal disruptions
The control center at OSPAS has 150 seamlessly integrated screens, forming a massive 67-meter-long wall display where every barrel of oil and gas molecule moving across the supply network may be viewed. The system also tracks every vessel, along with its cargo and destination.

OSPAS works around the clock to ensure the Company’s operations run smoothly. That’s why the work is fast-paced the moment Albeladi walks into the office.
Technology plays a pivotal role in supporting OSPAS in managing vast amounts of data and making precise, real-time, and informed decisions that help our operations run smoothly.

Leveraging decades of operational experience, OSPAS has worked continuously to adopt the Fourth Industrial Revolution (4IR) technologies, integrating Artificial Intelligence (AI), real‑time data, and human expertise to reimagine its operations.

“Although technology is a powerful enabler of change, it’s our people who turn potential into progress,” Albeladi notes.

He adds, “Not only did we introduce new technologies, but we also combined them with the expertise and advanced domain knowledge of our engineers to support automating and optimizing our processes, resulting in significant time and cost savings.”

Albelaidi also notes that the OSPAS team continues to explore how cutting-edge advances in AI and machine learning can further help streamline operations.
Another important part of Albeladi’s role is monitoring key performance indicators (KPIs) to help ensure OSPAS delivers energy in an optimal and reliable manner. He constantly monitors digital performance reports that are compiled and displayed on a modern, user-friendly dashboard. This dashboard can also be accessed on smartphones via a secure application, allowing engineers to check the status of items, such as crude deliveries and inventory levels.

“With the latest technologies, we are able to manage operations efficiently and resolve issues almost instantly,” Albeladi says.

Before leaving for the day, Albeladi often assists with the daily check of the Emergency Monitoring Room (EMR) — a specialized facility within OSPAS used if serious incidents occur — to ensure it is working optimally. Those in the EMR have access to live video streams and aerial views of facilities across the Kingdom, as well as an online messaging service and radios to reach key personnel on the ground.

He then hands over to the afternoon shift personnel and informs them of any work that needs to be carried out.

Although the pace of work is often relentless, Albeladi says it’s part of what drives the team.

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