The start-up of two key Saudi Aramco petchems JVs over the last two years has more than counterbalanced increased naphtha production. The units have increasingly eaten into naphtha exports and with new units online in recent months, shipments are set to fall further.

Aramco’s Sadara JV with US firm Dow Chemical ramped up throughputs from late 2016, whilst the Petro Rabigh JV with Japan’s Sumitomo began to ramp up new units from April (MEES, 20 April). (CONTINUED - 906 WORDS)