RIYADH: A petrochemical complex on the US coast being built Saudi Basic Industries Corporation (SABIC) and ExxonMobil is expected to be operational by the end of 2021, the US energy company said.

The complex — which is being developed by Gulf Coast Growth Ventures (GCGV), a joint-owned company by the Saudi and US companies — has reached mechanical completion of a monoethylene glycol unit and two polyethylene units, ExxonMobil said.

“Gulf Coast Growth Ventures is a key development of our plan to serve growing demand for our high value performance products,” said Karen McKee, ExxonMobil President.

The project, located near Corpus Christi, Texas, is expected to begin ahead of schedule, likely in the fourth quarter of 2021.

“Not only are we ahead of schedule, but we have executed this project with the highest commitment and emphasis on safety with nearly 18 million safe person-hours worked, all while acting on the promises we made to the community when we started this journey four years ago,” said Abdulrahman Al-Fageeh, SABIC’s executive vice president of petrochemicals.

GCGV will produce 1,100 kilotons of monoethylene glycol and 1,300 kilotons of polyethylene per year upon completion.

“The benefits of this strategic joint venture will not only accrue to SABIC but also to Saudi Aramco, which bought the company from the Public Investment Fund to create a Saudi synergy in local petrochemical production,” independent economist and former professor of finance and economics at King Fahd University of Petroleum and Minerals Dr. Mohamed Ramady told Arab news.

Once in full production, the new venture will add a welcome stream of additional revenue to SABIC’s profitability and its market value. It is expected to reinforce the Kingdom’s diversification into high-value hydrocarbon products through high-performance plastics, adding to SABIC’s portfolio of agri-nutrients and metals, he said.

“This new strategic joint venture cements the ongoing relationship that SABIC has built over the years with international partners as part of its plans to service its key overseas markets with high quality petrochemical downstream products,” he added.

The project created more than 600 permanent jobs with average salaries of $90,000 per year and an additional 6,000 high-paying jobs were created during construction.

The project is expected to be delivered under budget and at approximately 25 percent less than the average cost of similar projects along the US Gulf Coast.

Copyright: Arab News © 2021 All rights reserved. Provided by SyndiGate Media Inc. (Syndigate.info).

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