Through the abundance and majesty of the archaeological remains, the beauty of its landscapes and its proximity to the sea, the site of al-Bad' in the province of Tabuk (28°29'34 N; 35°00'26 E) has all the assets necessary to attract many Saudi and foreign visitors. Over the next decade, the stated objective of our joint Saudi-French project, co-directed by G. Charloux (CNRS, UMR8167), S. Sahlah (KSU) assisted by W. Badaiwi (responsible of the SCTH team), will be to highlight the timeless quality of the heritage of the oasis, while participating in its safeguarding and preservation. The first phase of the study program aims to reveal the littleknown archaeological potential of this oasis through a wide range of advanced techniques, field surveys and test trenches. Although part of our activities will concentrate in the future on the extensive clearing of the main central sector of al-Malha, our 2017 season aimed at surveying the whole oasis -no aspect of which can be excluded; indeed, the study of its diachronic evolution necessarily involves taking into full account its environment and all stages of occupation, from its formation to its recent urban development.