SAUDI ARABIA Sabic, Aramco Square Off Over Oil-to-Chemicals

摘要

In the midst of the US shale gas boom that has raised hopes of an era of cheaper gas feedstock worldwide, Saudi Arabia is somewhat surprisingly pushing ahead with plans tcrbuild a petrochemicals plant that runs directly on crude (IOD Mar.5'14). Gas is not as abundant as it once was in the kingdom, but the decision by Saudi chemicals giant Sabic to pursue experimental technology goes deeper than that. Sabic is under pressure to show that it can innovate and create jobs for Saudis — and also to prove that it remains the leader of the Saudi petrochemical sector, where it is seeing a strong challenge from Saudi Aramco.