SABIC, ExxonMobil elastomers JV project moves into front-end engineering and design phase; Saudi Arabia's Jubail Industrial City will be site for new manufacturing units

Lorena Madrigal

Saudi Arabia , March 1, 2011 (press release) – Saudi Basic Industries Corporation (SABIC) and affiliates of ExxonMobil Chemical announced that work on their proposed elastomers project joint venture has moved fully into Front-End Engineering and Design (FEED).

SABIC and ExxonMobil have selected Jubail Industrial City as the site for the new manufacturing units following a comprehensive evaluation of a number of variables, including integration opportunities with their existing petrochemical joint venture at KEMYA, to determine the best location for producing these specialty products.

As previously announced, plans would establish a domestic supply of more than 400 KTA of rubber, thermoplastic specialty polymers (EPDM/TPE, TPO, Butyl, SBR/PBR) and carbon black to serve emerging local and international markets in Asia and the Middle East. The project also includes a vocational training institute and product application development and support center, which is aligned with Saudi Arabia’s National Industrial Clusters Development Program to grow and diversify the Kingdom's manufacturing sector.

The project has reached the optimal industrial layout with the move to Jubail. During FEED both partners, SABIC and ExxonMobil, are targeting development of a globally competitive project with best-in-class industry cost.

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