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Women's participation in the tourism workforce is growing intensely in response to Saudi Vision 2030. Notwithstanding this, Saudi women still have limited access to senior management positions. This study explores the barriers that Saudi women face to reach top managerial positions in the tourism industry and explores how Saudi women could crack the glass ceiling. For these reasons, this study undertook a phenomenological approach using in-depth interviews with Saudi women who were able to reach senior management. The purpose of the interviews is to explore their lived experience and their accessibility to senior management positions. The results of a thematic analysis showed that there were four overlapped barriers for the glass ceiling among Saudi women: cultural and social barriers, regulatory barriers, organizational barriers, and personal barriers. These main barriers have sub-barriers that contribute to the glass ceiling and prevent many women from reaching senior positions. This study shows that overcoming these barriers, particularly cultural and social barriers, could help Saudi women to crack the glass ceiling and achieve their dream of leadership. This study discusses the implications for policy makers, academics, and practitioners on the effective contribution of Saudi women to the tourism labor market, which contributes to sustainable tourism development and, ultimately, to Saudi Vision 2030. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: The Carboniferous-Permian Unayzah gas condensate reservoir of the Ghazal Field in eastern Saudi Arabia contains abundant oil inclusions indicative of a palaeo-oil column. The molecular composition of a fluid inclusion rich zone at the top of the reservoir revealed a mid-mature biomarker distribution (0.80% vitrinite reflectance equivalent, VRE) that is considerably lower than that of the co-occurring reservoired fluid (1.41% VRE). Side chain cracking of the triaromatic steroids evident in the produced condensate is significantly less advanced in the inclusion oil, as is also reflected in their alkylnaphthalene distributions. The lower maturity signal in the inclusion oil is combined with calcareous related biomarkers that include relatively abundant 30-nor-17α-hopane, C24 tetracyclic terpane and alkyldibenzothiophenes, in contrast to the reservoir hydrocarbon fluid derived from the Lower Silurian Qusaiba shale. Inclusion gas is enriched in the higher hydrocarbons, which might be attributed to a high proportion of oil (or wet gas) inclusions. Fluid inclusion ethane and propane δ 13C are very close to the mean of the produced gases, but carbon dioxide δ 13C is about 5‰, and methane δ 13C 2‰ less negative than the average of the produced Ghazal gases, which may signify more than one hydrocarbon generation/population within the fluid inclusions. An earlier contribution into the Unayzah reservoir from a non-Qusaiba source may therefore be inferred to have had preceded the volumetrically more significant and more mature Qusaiba charges. Further research is needed to elucidate the source of this oil charge and its extent, which could include deep (Cambrian or Neoproterozoic) sources that might be present in the region. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

A novel high-severity FCC process that maximizes propylene production is under development by research teams in Saudi Arabia and Japan. The process has been proven in a 30-BPD demonstration plant at Saudi Aramco's refinery, Saudi Arabia, and at a 500-BPD cold flow model at Nippon Oil Corporation, Japan. The HS-FCC process combines mechanical modifications to conventional FCC with changes in process variables and catalyst formulations. The process main operating features are a down-flow reactor system, high reaction temperature, short contact time, and high catalyst to oil ratio. Experimental runs were conducted in a downer- and riser-type pilot plants and a demonstration plant using various catalysts, additives and feed oils. The experimental results demonstrated the advantage of downer in suppressing backmixing, thus increasing the yield of light olefins (ethylene, propylene, and butylenes) and reducing dry gas. Using paraffinic crude base VGO feed and proprietary USY FCC catalyst, propylene yield of 25 wt% (feed basis) and gasoline yield of 30 wt% were obtained under HS-FCC reaction conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]