Construction of Saudi Arabia’s giant Sadara petchems complex, developed jointly by Saudi Aramco and Dow Chemical, is nearing the halfway mark and is on schedule for 2H 2015 start-up. In a presentation to investors in Jubail on 20 March, Sadara Chief Executive Ziad al-Labban said the project is “on schedule, on budget, very safely” and due to be fully operational as planned in 2016.

Mr Labban says the 3mn tons/year complex will comprise 26 process plants plus third party units. Engineering work is 98% complete and construction 46% complete, he says. Sadara says the key feed process units are a multi-feed cracker and an aromatics plant. The cracker will produce ethylene and propylene from naphtha and ethane feedstock, while the aromatics units will deliver benzene and toluene, thus providing the four primary hydrocarbon intermediate product streams for the derivatives units (MEES, 22 March 2013). (CONTINUED - 568 WORDS)