Developing offshore oilfields has always been a challenge. How is exploitation of such resources possible while preserving the sensitive environment? Balancing economic ambitions with environmental responsibility is illustrated with Manifa development, the largest offshore hydrocarbon development project, off Saudi Arabia’s coast. Manifa is a huge six-reservoir field stretching 45 km by 18km, lying in less than 15 metres of water. The field is capable of producing close to a million barrels of oil per day in a pristine environment.