Saudi Aramco and Total Energy have reached a final investment decision on the construction of Saudi Arabia's 11 billion dollar Amiral petrochemical complex. The new petrochemical facility will be owned, operated and integrated with the existing SATORP refinery in Jubail on the east coast of the country. The SATORP refinery jointly owned by Saudi Aramco and Total Energy has been in operation since 2014.

Through integration with Amiral petrochemical complex, SATORP refinery will be able to convert internal refinery waste gas and naphtha, ethane and natural gasoline provided by Saudi Aramco into higher value chemicals. It is expected that this will help promote Saudi Aramco's liquid chemical strategy.

Amin Nasser, CEO of Saudi Aramco, said that this important project has further strengthened our long-term cooperation with Total Energy, which provides us with an opportunity to demonstrate the potential of cutting-edge liquids in chemical technology to support the circular economy. Through this cooperation, our goal is to expand the value chain and accelerate the industrial progress of the Kingdom by producing advanced chemicals more efficiently than ever before.

According to both parties, the new petrochemical facility will be equipped with a mixed feed cracking unit with an annual capacity of 1.65 million tons of ethylene. In addition, in addition to butadiene extraction unit and other related derivative units, it will also accommodate two polyethylene units based on advanced dual loop technology.

Saudi Aramco will hold 62.5% of the shares of Amiral Petrochemical Complex, while Total Energy will hold the remaining 37.5%.

Saudi Aramco and Total Energy expect that the complex will eventually provide raw materials for other petrochemical and specialty chemical plants in Jubail Industrial Zone. The two sides said that the new petrochemical complex and adjacent facilities are expected to generate 7000 direct and indirect employment opportunities.

Patrick Pouyann é, Chairman and CEO of Total Energy, said that we are pleased to launch this expansion project on the basis of the successful development of SATORP, which is our largest and most efficient refining and petrochemical platform in the world. This has also deepened the exemplary relationship between our two companies in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia for decades. This world-class complex is also in line with our strategy of sustainable expansion of petrochemical products by maximizing synergies within our major platforms. The investment decision of Amiral Petrochemical Complex is subject to customary closing conditions and approvals.Editor/Xing Wentao