PHOTOS: The Giant Saudi Oil Compound That's Just Miles From The Protests

A quick geography lesson before tomorrow Saudi Day Of Rage. Ra's Tannura is a major compound and port for the world's largest oil company, Saudi Aramco.
Just west of Al Khobar is one of Aramco's giant residential compounds.
This region, including nearby Bahrain, is home to a discontent Shiite majority. There have already been protests in Qatif.

The biggest refinery in the world

Millions of barrels of oil stored on Ras Tanura Sea Island

5 million barrels of oil are loaded onto ships every day at the peninsula

This is where they oversee everything

The largest compound, Dhahran has 11,300 residents and grassy sports facilities

Dharan's Core Area at twilight

Image: Courtesy of Saudi Aramco

R&D Headquarters

A look UNDERGROUND

Image: Courtesy of Saudi Aramco

The Exploration and Petroleum Engineering Center, or EXPEC

Image: Courtesy of Saudi Aramco

The world's largest seawater treatment plant

Countless of barrels of Arabian Extra Light crude oil flows through this pipeline, pictured during construction in 1997

Saudi Aramco geoscientists and petroleum engineers

The Shaybah facility at night

The Haradh Project

Image: Courtesy of Saudi Aramco

Another dramatic picture of Haradh