Aramco, French firm to build petrochemical complex

RIYADH: Energy firm Saudi Aramco has partnered with French oil giant TotalEnergies to build a petrochemical facility in Saudi Arabia with an estimated investment of around $11 billion.

According to a joint press release, the petrochemical facility named ‘Amiral’ will be owned, operated and integrated with the existing  Saudi Aramco Total Refining and Petrochemical  refinery located in Jubail on the eastern coast of the Kingdom.

The construction of the petrochemical facility is expected to begin in the first quarter of 2023 and the commercial operations will be kickstarted in 2027.

The overall complex and its adjacent facilities are expected to create 7,000 direct and indirect jobs, according to the release.

“Our long-standing relationship with TotalEnergies has been further strengthened by this important project, which represents an opportunity for us to showcase the potential for cutting-edge liquids to chemicals technologies that support the circular economy,” said Aramco President and CEO Amin Nasser.

He added: “With this collaboration we aim to expand the value chain by producing advanced chemicals more efficiently than ever before, accelerating industrial progress in the Kingdom.”

The press release further noted that the investment decision made by Aramco and TotalEnergies is subject to customary closing conditions and approvals.

The petrochemical facility will enable SATORP to convert internally produced refinery off-gasses and naphtha, as well as ethane and natural gasoline supplied by Aramco, into higher-value chemicals, helping to advance the firm’s liquids-to-chemicals strategy.

“We are delighted to write a new page of our joint history by launching this expansion project, building on the successful development of SATORP, our biggest and most efficient refining and petrochemicals platform in the world,” said TotalEnergies Chairman and CEO Patrick Pouyanné.

He added: “This world-class complex also fits with our strategy to expand sustainably in petrochemicals by maximising the synergies within our major platforms.”

The press release further added that the petrochemical complex will also comprise of a mixed feed cracker capable of producing 1.65 million tonnes/annum of ethylene, the first in the region to be integrated with a refinery.

The facility will also have units for polyethylene, butadiene and other associated derivatives.  The press release added that the petrochemical complex will also provide feedstock to other chemical plants in the Jubail industrial area which will be built, owned and operated by globally renowned downstream investors, entailing an estimated additional $4 billion of investments.

Courtesy: Arab News