meed-logo

line1 line2 line3
SIGN IN / REGISTER

Petrochemicals ambitions define Saudi downstream

9 March 2023

 

Saudi Aramco began a gradual pivot towards petrochemicals in 2007 when it partnered with Dow Chemical Company to build the Sadara chemicals project in Saudi Arabia.

Aramco’s majority acquisition of Saudi Basic Industries Corporation (Sabic) in June 2020, however, marked the formal integration of the kingdom’s oil and gas and petrochemical industries.

Just a month after completing the $69.1bn transaction with the Public Investment Fund to acquire a 70 per cent stake in Sabic, Aramco announced a reorganisation of its downstream business to create four dedicated commercial units: fuels (including refining, trading, retail and lubricants); chemicals; power; and pipelines, distribution and terminals.

Since taking these two significant steps in 2020 to bring Sabic into its fold and reshuffle its downstream business to make it more efficient and profitable, Aramco has sanctioned significant capex allocation to increasing petrochemicals production and broadening its products portfolio.

So much so that the volume of Saudi petrochemical projects in different pre-execution stages, valued at $36bn according to MEED Projects, dwarfs the pipeline of oil refining and gas processing projects.

Aramco/Sabic is currently overseeing progress on at least three mega petrochemical projects in the kingdom.

Amiral petrochemicals scheme

Saudi Aramco and Total Refining & Petrochemical Company (Satorp) is moving closer to awarding the main engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) contracts for its estimated $7bn Amiral petrochemicals project in Jubail, Saudi Arabia.

The lowest bidders have emerged for the four main EPC packages of the project, which represents the expansion of Satorp’s crude oil refining operations in Jubail into petrochemicals production.

Satorp’s petrochemicals complex, which will be the centrepiece of the Amiral development, will feature the Middle East’s largest mixed-feed cracker, processing 50 per cent ethane and refinery off-gases and with the capacity to produce 1.5 million tonnes a year (t/y) of ethylene, 500,000 t/y of propylene and related high-added-value derivative products.

The Amiral petrochemicals facility, which has recently been chosen to receive support from the Saudi government’s Shareek programme, will be integrated with Satorp’s existing 440,000 barrel-a-day (b/d) capacity refinery in Jubail to give the upcoming complex competitive feedstock advantage.

Satorp and the Royal Commission for Jubail & Yanbu are calling on third-party investors to commit up to $4bn to build chemicals plants that will derive feedstock from the main Amiral complex.

Aramco slated to escalate upstream spending

Integrated Yanbu project

Sabic recently confirmed progress with another project to build an integrated refinery and petrochemicals project in Yanbu, on Saudi Arabia’s Red Sea coast.

Sabic and its parent company Aramco signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with China Petroleum and Chemical Corporation (Sinopec) in December for the Chinese chemicals company to partner in the planned petrochemicals project in Yanbu.

The aim of the MoU, signed on 15 December, is for the partners “to study the economic and technical feasibility of developing a new petrochemical complex to be integrated with an existing refinery in Yanbu, Saudi Arabia”, Aramco stated.

MEED understands that the MoU relates to a partnership for the planned Integrated Yanbu Project (IYP). The proposed project calls for integrating the Yanbu Aramco Sinopec Refinery Company’s (Yasref) existing refinery facility with a greenfield petrochemical-producing facility in Yanbu.

The petrochemicals unit will draw crude oil derivatives such as naphtha as feedstock from the Yasref refinery to process into chemicals.

Crude oil-to-chemicals complex

Sabic recently also announced the start of a feasibility study and initial engineering work to establish a large-scale complex that will convert crude oil and liquids into petrochemicals in Ras al-Khair, Saudi Arabia.

The planned complex has the capacity to convert 400,000 b/d of oil directly into chemicals.

Sabic said it would “announce progress on the [oil-to-chemicals] project in the next few years”, without providing other details, such as if it had appointed a consultant for the feasibility study on the project.

The petrochemicals giant announced in November last year that it was due to start the feasibility study into the proposed project in Ras al-Khair, located in the kingdom’s Eastern Province.

The plan to build an oil-to-chemicals facility in Ras al-Khair, instead of the previously selected location of Yanbu, is the latest move by Sabic over the past five years or so to establish such a project.

Sabic’s ambition to build a large-scale facility that converts crude oil and liquids directly into petrochemicals has faced obstacles in the past, mainly due to its capital-intensive nature and technological challenges.

Downstream oil and gas

These huge petrochemical projects aside, Aramco continues to advance projects not just to boost the throughput of its refineries and gas processing plants but also to improve its environmental credentials, in line with its net-zero carbon emissions by 2050 pledge.

Last year, Aramco awarded EPC contracts for a pair of projects to modify sulphur recovery units (SRUs) at its Riyadh and Ras Tanura refineries. French contractor Technip Energies secured the Riyadh refinery desulphurisation contract, which could be worth up to $250m.

Egypt-headquartered Engineering for the Petroleum & Process Industries (Enppi) won the main contract for the Ras Tanura refinery in Saudi Arabia’s Eastern Province, estimated to be worth $300m-$400m.

The Saudi energy giant is now moving ahead with a major desulphurisation programme to modify SRUs at its key gas processing plants in the kingdom.

Aramco expects third-party investments of up to $2bn in the desulphurisation programme, which entails building a large downstream tail-gas treatment (TGT) facility to collect and process tail gas discharged from SRUs at identified gas plants.

The facilities will be developed on a build-own-operate-transfer basis, making it one of Aramco’s initial public-private partnership exercises in its main oil and gas business. Investors are preparing proposals for the scheme, which are due by the end of March.

https://image.digitalinsightresearch.in/uploads/NewsArticle/10659745/main.jpg
Indrajit Sen

Register for MEED's guest program now to access this article.

Click here to register
Exclusive from Meed
Related Articles
  • Chinese firm announces $1.9bn Abu Dhabi renewables contract

    23 March 2026

    China Power Construction Corporation (PowerChina) has announced details of a contract signed for the engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) works on part of Abu Dhabi’s $6bn round-the-clock solar and battery storage project.

    The independent power project (IPP) will combine 5.2GW of solar photovoltaic (PV) capacity with 19GWh of battery storage. Last October, Emirates Water & Electricity Company (Ewec) and Abu Dhabi Future Energy Company (Masdar) broke ground on what will be the world’s largest combined solar and battery energy storage system (bess), designed to supply 1GW of round-the-clock power.

    India’s Larsen & Toubro and Beijing-headquartered PowerChina were awarded the EPC contract for the project last year, with PwC Middle East advising Ewec on financial structuring.

    According to the Chinese firm, the full project has been divided into two blocks, north and south, indicating at least two major packages. 

    PowerChina’s contract, valued at about $1.9bn, covers the northern block of the project, which includes 2.1GW of DC-side PV installations and a 7.75GWh bess. The scope includes the design, procurement and construction of substations, PV facilities and battery energy storage systems.

    Located in the Mshayrif area of Abu Dhabi, the wider project is designed to supply steady delivery of power between April and October each year, the UAE’s peak electricity demand season due to cooling loads.

    This includes serving large energy users that require 24/7 clean electricity, such as fast-growing data centre operators and technology firms driving artificial intelligence deployment in the region.

    Ewec will act as the offtaker under a long-term power purchase agreement.

    MEED previously reported that China’s CATL (Contemporary Amperex Technology Co), Jinko Solar and JA Solar will supply the bess and PV modules, with Jinko and JA each providing 2.6GW of modules. 

    The project will avoid 5.7 million tonnes of CO₂ emissions annually and provide enough clean energy to power nearly half a million homes.

    Construction is expected to be completed in 2028.

    https://image.digitalinsightresearch.in/uploads/NewsArticle/16083288/main.jpg
    Mark Dowdall
  • Kuwait tenders major infrastructure packages

    23 March 2026

     

    Kuwait’s Ministry of Public Works (MPW) has tendered several contracts for infrastructure works across various parts of the country.

    The first tender covers the construction of rainwater drainage systems in the Sabah Al-Ahmad South, Sabah Al-Ahmad, Al-Khairan and Al-Wafra residential areas.

    The second tender includes the construction of a treated water system in Kuwait’s southern region.

    The third tender covers the construction of a treated water system in Kuwait’s northern region.

    The final tender covers the construction of roads, bridges, stormwater drainage, sewage and other services for a section of the Kabd-Sulaibiya Road, as well as a section of the Kabd-Sulaibiya industrial road link.

    MPW issued all of these tenders on 22 March, with a bid submission deadline of 21 April.

    UK analytics firm GlobalData expects Kuwait’s construction industry to grow by 5.1% in 2026-29, supported by government investment in the oil and gas sector aimed at raising production, as well as investment in the infrastructure sector.

    In the short term, growth will be boosted by planned expenditure under the 2025-26 budget, which was approved in March 2025.

    The construction industry in Kuwait is expected to record an annual average growth rate of 4.9% in 2026-29, supported by investments in renewable energy, transport, and oil and gas projects.

    The commercial construction sector is expected to grow by 4.8% in 2026-29, supported by public and private sector investment in the construction of hotels, retail outlets and office buildings.

    READ THE MARCH 2026 MEED BUSINESS REVIEW – click here to view PDF

    Riyadh urges private sector to take greater role; Chemical players look to spend rationally; Economic uptick lends confidence to Cairo’s reforms.

    Distributed to senior decision-makers in the region and around the world, the March 2026 edition of MEED Business Review includes:
    To see previous issues of MEED Business Review, please click here
    https://image.digitalinsightresearch.in/uploads/NewsArticle/16083252/main.jpg
    Yasir Iqbal
  • Qiddiya tenders new infrastructure package

    23 March 2026

     

    Saudi Arabian gigaproject developer Qiddiya Investment Company (QIC) has tendered a contract inviting firms to bid for new infrastructure works in Qiddiya Entertainment City.

    The scope covers two infrastructure development packages in District 0 of Qiddiya Entertainment City, including the construction of four event park-and-ride facilities.

    The tender was issued on 11 March, with a bid submission deadline of 22 April.

    Lebanese firm Dar Al-Handasah and Saudi-based Sets International are serving as project consultants.

    QIC is accelerating plans to develop additional assets at Qiddiya City. Earlier this month, the company set a 16 April deadline for firms to submit prequalification statements for the Qiddiya high-speed rail project in Riyadh.

    Previously, MEED reported that QIC had received bids from contractors on 23 February for a SR980m ($261m) contract covering the construction of staff accommodation at Qiddiya Entertainment City.

    The project will cover an area of more than 105,000 square metres (sq m).

    Last month, QIC started the main construction works on its performing arts centre at Qiddiya Entertainment City.

    The Qiddiya City performing arts centre is one of several major projects within the greater Qiddiya development. Other projects include an e-games arena, Prince Mohammed Bin Salman Stadium, a motorsports track, the Dragon Ball and Six Flags theme parks, and Aquarabia.

    In December last year, QIC officially opened the Six Flags theme park to the public.

    The theme park covers an area of 320,000 sq m and features 28 rides and attractions, 10 of which are thrill rides and 18 designed for families and young children.

    The Qiddiya project is a key part of Riyadh’s strategy to boost leisure tourism in the kingdom. According to UK analytics firm GlobalData, leisure tourism in Saudi Arabia has experienced significant growth in recent years.

    The kingdom’s tourism sector posted record-breaking numbers last year, with over 130 million domestic and international visitors entering the kingdom, representing a 6% increase over 2024.

    https://image.digitalinsightresearch.in/uploads/NewsArticle/16083013/main.jpg
    Yasir Iqbal
  • Kuwait’s Mina Al-Ahmadi refinery attacked

    23 March 2026

    Register for MEED’s 14-day trial access 

    Several units were shut down at Kuwait’s largest oil refinery after it was hit by drones as Iran targeted energy infrastructure across the Gulf, according to a statement from state-owned Kuwait Petroleum Corporation (KPC).

    Fires broke out across multiple units at the Mina Al-Ahmadi refinery in the morning of 20 March 2026 following the attack.

    The refinery normally processes about 730,000 barrels of oil a day.

    There were no casualties as a result of the attack, according to KPC.

    Kuwait’s oil and gas sector has been severely disrupted by the ongoing regional conflict.

    On 10 March, MEED revealed that the state-owned upstream operator Kuwait Oil Company (KOC) was operating with just 30% of its total workforce in their normal workplaces.

    Earlier in the month, KPC also declared force majeure due to difficulties transporting oil and gas through the Strait of Hormuz caused by the conflict.

    Force majeure, a French term meaning “superior force”, is a clause included in many international commercial contracts. It allows companies to suspend contractual obligations when extraordinary events occur beyond their control.

    https://image.digitalinsightresearch.in/uploads/NewsArticle/16067425/main.gif
    Wil Crisp
  • Iraq declares force majeure on foreign-operated oil fields

    23 March 2026

    Register for MEED’s 14-day trial access 

    Iraq has declared force majeure on all oil fields developed by foreign oil companies as the US and Israel’s war with Iran disrupts navigation through the Strait of Hormuz.

    The initial attack and Iran’s response have slashed Iraq’s exports.

    Prior to the war starting on 28 February, Iraq was exporting between 3.3 and 3.5 million barrels a day of crude oil.

    Oil sales account for nearly 90% of Iraq’s government revenues.

    Earlier this month, two drone strikes hit infrastructure at Iraq’s Majnoon oil field, increasing security concerns in the country’s energy sector.

    One of the drones hit a communications tower, and the other hit the office of the US engineering company KBR.

    There were no casualties as a result of the attacks.

    Foreign workers were evacuated from the site days after the US and Israel’s war with Iran started, and only Iraqi staff are currently working at the site.

    Shortly before the war started, KBR announced that it had been awarded a “major contract” by Iraq’s state-owned Basra Oil Company to provide integrated field management services for the Majnoon oil field.

    https://image.digitalinsightresearch.in/uploads/NewsArticle/16067302/main.png
    Wil Crisp