Saudi Basic Industries Corporation (SABIC) and affiliates of ExxonMobil Chemical announced Front-End Engineering Design (FEED) contracts had been awarded for the proposed new elastomers project at their Al-Jubail Petrochemical Company (KEMYA).
KEMYA is a joint venture petrochemical plant and is based in Al-Jubail in Saudi Arabia.
The project is expected to establish a domestic supply of more than 400,000 metric tonnes of rubber[butyl, styrene butadiene rubber (SBR), butadiene rubber and EPDM], thermoplastic specialty polymers and carbon black to serve emerging local and international markets in Asia and the Middle East.
The project also includes the establishment of a vocational training centre and product application development and support centre, aligned with Saudi Arabia's National Industrial Clusters Development Program to grow and diversify the manufacturing sector in Saudi Arabia.
"This elastomers project will be the basis for the creation of a world-class rubber value chain in Saudi Arabia and a valuable extension of our offering of products and services to our customers in key markets," said Koos van Haasteren, SABIC executive vice president, Performance Chemicals.
FEED contracts were awarded to Jacobs Engineering Inc. and Mitsui Engineering & Shipbuilding for process units and to Fluor Transworld Services Inc. for associated support facilities.
Third-party license agreements have been signed with Continental Carbon Company for its carbon black production technology and with The Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company for its SBR and polybutadiene rubber technology.
"In addition to supporting local industry, the expansion at the KEMYA joint venture in Al-Jubail would provide additional new capacity of butyl rubber and EPDM (ethylene propylene diene monomer) specialty elastomers to meet the growing global demand for these products," said Neil Chapman, senior vice president, Polymers, ExxonMobil Chemical Company.
