Middle East
Aramco eyes oil-to-chemicals project with SABIC
SABIC has previously said the proposed project could cost as much as $30 billion, processing petrochemicals directly from crude oil instead of first refining the oil into products such as naphtha.
India, Iran reach payment deal allowing refiners to buy Iranian crude
Indian refiners have been holding 55% of the oil payments to Iran after a prior route was halted in 2013. Iran was India's second-largest oil supplier before the recent sanctions.
Saudis raise crude oil pricing for Asian refiners by most in over a year
Refiners may choose to not take full contracted volumes, instead seeking alternative crudes on the spot market or access the large amount of crude stored around the region.
Saudi Arabia’s SABIC targets US shale as leading chemical feedstock
Saudi petrochemicals businesses have benefited in the past from feedstock subsidies that are being phased out as the government looks to bridge a substantial budget deficit after oil's two-year downturn.
Petrochemicals: The changing competitive landscape for GCC ethylene production
Much of the global petrochemical industry is built around the abundant oil and gas reserves of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries.
Business Trends: Global petrochemical overview—Part 2
Part 1 of this series provided an overview on the present state of the petrochemical industry, a breakdown on construction project numbers by region, as well as major trends in Africa, the Middle East and the US. Part 2 examines the landscape in Asia-Pacific, Canada, Europe and Latin America.
Global Project Data
According to <i>Hydrocarbon Processing’s</i> Construction Boxscore Database, nearly 300 new downstream projects have been announced around the globe over the past year.
Iran secures two more European refiners as customers for its oil
Both refiners bought Iran's oil before sanctions against the country's nuclear program effectively halted its shipments to Europe, which had accounted for more than a third of its exports.
Saudi Aramco sets financing for industrial push
Aramco's board approved an additional equity contribution for its Sadara petrochemical JV with US firm Dow Chemical , the Arabian Sun said, without disclosing the size of the capital injection.
China’s stimulus may briefly boost gasoil margins for Asian refiners
There are two main factors at work that are improving the outlook for the region's major industrial and transport fuel, namely the expectation of stimulus spending in China and refinery maintenance in the region, as well as the Middle East.
- Ducor Petrochemicals, Blue Circle Olefins partner to create a fully circular supply chain for polypropylene 11/18
- World's first: Air Liquide’s innovative technology converts ammonia into hydrogen at industrial scale 11/18
- Borouge to supply advanced polyolefin solutions for next-generation vehicles 11/18
- ASTM International signs MoU with Gulf Cooperation Council Laboratory Company for Technical Services (GCC Lab TSCo.) 11/18
- KBC launches Visual MESA Energy Management System 7.3 11/18
- MHI Compressor secures steam turbine contract at Baton Rouge (U.S.) olefins plant 11/18

