Dubai's best kept secret

What's a Khazzan? Khazzan means Storage in Arabic.

What's a Khazzan? Think of a Champagne Glass!

Turn the Champagne Glass Upside Down

Put the upside down Champagne Glass in Water and it will fill with water.

A khazzan resembles an upside Champagne Glass under water but made of steel.

Pipe Lines connect the Khazzan to the offshore oilfield and to a Single Point Mooring Buoy.

Oil flowing from the oilfield displaces seawater in the khazzan, Sea water is forced out through the bottom of the khazzan.

Oil flow is shut off when the khazzan is full.

An Oil Tanker connects to the single point mooring buoy.

The Pipe line to the Oil Tanker is opened. Natural Sea Water pressure forces the oil out of the tank along the pipe line and slowly empties the khazzan.

Khazzans were built on the beach near to where the Burj Al Arab is located today.

Cleveland Bridge and Engineering Company built the khazzans. The beach area become known as Chicago Beach because the construction crane became a local landmark.

When the khazzans were completed, channel was dredged and the khazzans floated out to sea. They were supported by inflatable collars that enabled them to float.

When the khazzans arrived in their final location, the inflatable collars were deflated and the khazzans sunk to the ocean floor.

After each khazzan had sunk and settled on the ocean floor only a small part of the khazzan remained showing above sea level.

Three khazzans were constructed and sunk offshore then linked up to provide on offshore platform for the export of Dubai's oil.They remain in operation today but are rarely seen by Dubai Residents.