Aramco Fire Protection hosts 2025 LASTFIRE Steering Panel Committee, conducts large-scale fire testing

The event featured a series of comprehensive technical presentations showcasing the latest advancements in fire protection technologies and foam application methodologies. This followed extensive large-scale fire testing of the new fluorine-free foam (F3) at the state-of-the-art Ju’aymah Advanced Fire Training Center carried out during the summer of 2025, with more than 70 participants from partners of Aramco Ventures, LASTFIRE Consortium members, local and global companies such as Saudi Electricity Company, Petro Rabigh, YASREF, SAMREF, Sabic, Sadara, SATORP, Luberef, Shell Qatar, Adnoc, Oman Methanol, Oman Unity Fire Company, TotalEnergies, as well as subject matter experts from Aramco’s Loss Prevention and Fire Protection.

Also, international and local manufacturers participated, such as Perimeter Solutions from Spain, Firedose from Germany, Viking from Norway, Fomtec from Swede and local manufactures including Saudi Sicli and REDA Fire Hazard and Control. It served as a key platform for technical evaluation, knowledge exchange, and strengthening bonds among fire-protection experts and industrial stakeholders. The tests evaluated fluorine-free foam performance under regional environmental and operational conditions, supporting the transition to more sustainable firefighting solutions.

This collaborative effort underscored the growing regional engagement in global fire safety initiatives and reinforced Saudi Aramco’s commitment to leading advancements in industrial fire protection and environmental stewardship.

Abdullah M. Al Ghamdi, Aramco's vice president of Fire Protection who inaugurated the LASTFIRE event, noted, “Today, we gather not only as professionals united by purpose, but as ambassadors of safety and champions of a sustainable future.

 

“Our company has made safety a core value. It is the foundation of everything we do.” Al Ghamdi added. “It’s embedded in how we design, how we operate, and how we prepare for the unexpected. Fire protection, in particular, is a critical component of that safety framework.

 

The vice president continued: “We operate in environments where the risks are real and often complex: Offshore platforms, refineries, pipelines, and chemical plants. In such settings, fire protection isn’t just about firefighting. It’s about being ready when it matters most.

 

“Every drill and every standard exists for one reason: To ensure that, when it matters most, we are ready,” Al Ghamdi said, noting the company invests in real-word testing, advanced systems, and continuous validation of its firefighting capabilities.

 

“This initiative reflects our belief that safety and sustainability are not separate goals; they must go hand in hand. It also reinforces our leadership role in setting benchmarks that others can follow,” Al Ghamdi continued.

 

“Through strategic collaborations with global partners such as the LASTFIRE Consortium, joint ventures, and local foam manufacturers, we continue to push the boundaries of what’s possible in fire protection, raising standards, driving innovation, and sharing knowledge,” he said.

 

“As we come together for this LASTFIRE Steering Panel meeting, let us recommit to that mission. Let us continue to learn, collaborate, and lead, not just for the present, but for the generations to come.”

Niall Ramsden, Ph.D.,  LASTFIRE Consortium coordinator, said: "Holding the first full LASTFIRE meeting in the Gulf area in more than 10 years highlights Aramco's commitment to developing and sharing best practices in the fire safety industry."