Engineering studies launched for giant petchem complex in Saudi Arabia

Saudi Aramco and Total have signed a joint development agreement for the front-end engineering and design (FEED) of a giant petrochemical complex in Jubail, on Saudi Arabia’s eastern coast.

Announced in April 2018, the world-class complex will be located next to the SATORP refinery, operated by Saudi Aramco (62.5%) and Total (37.5%), in order to fully exploit operational synergies. It will comprise a mixed-feed cracker (50% ethane and refinery off-gases) – the first in the Gulf region to be integrated with a refinery – with a capacity of 1.5mn t/y of ethylene and related high-added-value petrochemical units. The project represents an investment of around $5bn and is scheduled to start-up in 2024. 

The project will provide feedstock to other petrochemical and specialty chemical plants located in the Jubail industrial area and beyond.

The overall complex will represent an investment of approximately $9bn and is expected to create 8,000 local direct and indirect jobs.