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Petrochemicals

Petrochemicals news from the Middle East. All the important stories, exclusive interviews, plus authoritative opinion and analysis

Aramco will acquire a 22.5% stake in Petro Rabigh from Japan's Sumitomo Chemical for $702 million

Petro Rabigh’s turnaround hinges on Aramco’s support

Saudi Aramco and Japanese company Sumitomo Chemical will inject new funds into Rabigh Refining and Petrochemical Company (Petro Rabigh), as well as waive loans, in a bid to support the Saudi refinery’s turnaround strategy. As part of its plan to strengthen Petro Rabigh’s financial position, Aramco will acquire a 22.5 percent stake in the company from […]

Sabic keeps capex at $5bn in 2024 as quarterly profit rises

Petrochemicals major Saudi Basic Industries Corporation (Sabic) will maintain capital expenditure between $4 billion and $5 billion for 2024 after its quarterly profits surged. Net profit rose 32 percent year on year to SAR2.4 billion ($640 million) in the first half of 2024, driven by higher sales volume. NewsletterGet the Best of AGBI delivered straight […]

Borouge profit sales petrochemicals

Borouge profit up 33% on higher product sales

Record production volumes, higher sales and increased cost efficiencies helped net profits at petrochemicals company Borouge rise 33 percent year on year in the second quarter of 2024 to $308 million. Revenue at the Abu Dhabi-listed company reached $1.5 billion during the quarter, up 6 percent annually. NewsletterGet the Best of AGBI delivered straight to […]

Dr. Sultan Ahmed Al Jaber, group CEO of Adnoc and chairman of Borouge (centre) at the signing ceremony in Beijing

Adnoc and Borouge explore chemicals complex in China

The UAE’s oil giant Adnoc and Borouge, one of its Abu Dhabi-listed subsidiaries, is exploring the potential of developing a speciality thermoplastics complex in China. A consortium, which includes Adnoc, Borouge and Borealis, signed a project collaboration agreement with China’s Wanhua Chemical and Wanrong New Materials (Fujian), a wholly owned subsidiary of Wanhua Chemical. Borealis […]

Covestro CEO Dr Markus Steilemann. The company has rejected two previous offers from Adnoc

Adnoc makes final bid for German chemicals maker

German chemical company Covestro AG has confirmed that it has started “concrete negotiations” over a $12.5 billion offer from Abu Dhabi National Oil Company (Adnoc). Covestro said in a statement that Adnoc had offered €62 ($67) a share as a starting point for the negotiations, which are subject to the completion of due diligence. In […]

QatarEnergy said the pact with Japan's Eneos is the “largest and longest commitment” in more than a decade

​QatarEnergy signs second naphtha deal with Japan

QatarEnergy has signed a second long-term naphtha supply agreement with a Japanese company. The state-backed gas producer will provide Eneos Corporation, a refining and petrochemical company, with up to 9 million tonnes of naphtha – a partially refined petroleum product commonly used as a solvent – over 10 years starting in July.  The agreement is […]

QatarEnergy CEO Saad Sherida Al Kaabi said the deal will strengthen its 50-year partnership with Japan's Idemitsu

QatarEnergy signs naphtha deal with Japanese refiner

QatarEnergy will supply six million tonnes of naphtha to Japan over the next 10 years starting in July. The state-backed gas producer has signed a supply deal with Idemitsu Kosan Company, a Japanese refining and petrochemicals company. Naphtha is a flammable liquid hydrocarbon mixture commonly used as a solvent. It can also be used in […]

Photography, Clothing, Glove Qatari origin urea will be supplied to the agricultural sectors of the US and other international markets

Qatar signs 15-year urea supply pact with US company

Qatar, the world’s second-largest exporter of urea, has signed a long-term urea supply agreement with US-based Koch Fertilizer.  The 15-year agreement, starting in July, will lead to the supply of up to 0.74 million tonnes per annum (MTPA) of urea, state-backed QatarEnergy said in a statement. Locally manufactured urea will be supplied to the agricultural […]

Architecture, Building, Factory A Sabic facility in Jubail. The company reported a net profit of SAR250 million in Q1 2024, down 62% year on year

Sabic to pay $1.4bn dividend despite profit drop

Saudi Basic Industries Corporation (Sabic) has declared a cash dividend of more than SAR5 billion ($1.4 billion) for the first six months of 2024. The board of the company, which is wholly owned by oil giant Saudi Aramco, announced the dividend payout this week, paying SAR1.7 per share. The dividend payout will take place on […]

Kuwaits Beyout Investment Group is selling a 30 percent stake, or 90 million shares, on the local bourse

Kuwait’s Beyout targets $147m from IPO

Kuwait’s Beyout Investment Group (BIG) has set the price of its initial public offering (IPO) between 480 and 500 fils per share.  The company plans to raise up to KD45,000,000 ($147 million) by selling a 30 percent stake, or 90 million shares, on the local bourse, the first in nearly two years. The final offer […]

The Kuwait Boursa trading hall in Kuwait city. BIG shares will list in the premier market segment

Kuwait’s Beyout Investment Group to list on local bourse 

Kuwait’s Beyout Investment Group (BIG) has announced plans to offer a 30 percent stake on the local bourse, the first in nearly two years. The final offering price will be determined through a bookbuilding process, which will be held from May 19 to 23, the company said in a statement.  The shares are slated to […]

Adnoc said it had 'no interest in continuing the process' to buy a controlling stake in Brazil's Braskem

Adnoc ends talks to buy stake in Brazilian petchem producer 

Abu Dhabi state-owned energy company Adnoc has ended talks to buy a controlling stake in Brazilian petrochemical company Braskem. “Adnoc International Limited has no interest in continuing the process of analysis and negotiations with Novonor on the potential transaction,” the São Paulo-listed company said in a bourse filing on Monday. Following the disclosure, Braskem shares dropped […]

A researcher at a Borouge innovation centre. The petrochemical company plans to maintain its 2024 dividend at $1.3 billion

Borouge profit rises to $273m despite revenue fall

Petrochemicals major Borouge said its net profit for the first quarter of 2024 rose 37 percent to $273 million amid stronger price premium on high-value products. The Abu Dhabi-listed company said revenue fell 6 percent year on year to $1.3 billion on planned feedstock-related operational maintenance. Average sales prices increased quarter on quarter by 4 […]

Aramco China Fujian

Aramco targets another petrochemical company in China

Saudi Aramco has begun talks to acquire a 10 percent stake in Hengli Petrochemical Company, owner of a 400,000 barrel a day refinery and chemicals complex in Liaoning, north-east China. Hengli Petrochemical, a subsidiary of Hengli Group, also operates plants and production facilities in Jiangsu and Guangdong provinces. The kingdom’s state-owned oil company is looking […]

The under-construction Zayed National Museum in Abu Dhabi

UAE wealth fund ADQ buys stake in Abu Dhabi builder

UAE sovereign wealth fund ADQ is acquiring a stake in the construction company building the Guggenheim and Zayed National museums in Abu Dhabi. Alpha Dhabi Holding (ADH), an investment holding company, announced in a filing to the Abu Dhabi Stock Exchange on Tuesday that it will divest 49 percent of its subsidiary Alpha Dhabi Construction […]

Cement companies face price challenges due to decreased demand and heightened inventory levels in 2023

Saudi cement prices under pressure as competition mounts

Strong competition among Saudi Arabia’s cement companies is likely to continue and will exert pressure on prices in the short to medium term, according to a report from investment advisory company Ubhar Capital. There is ongoing optimism regarding the pipeline of mega and giga projects, as well as anticipated investments related to Expo 2030. However, […]

Aramco's Fadhili project will boost the plant’s processing capacity by 60% by November 2027

Aramco invests $8bn to raise gas output by 60% 

Saudi Aramco is building on its natural gas reserves to free more crude oil for value-added refining and export.  As part of the strategy, the oil giant has awarded engineering, procurement and construction contracts worth $8 billion for a major expansion of its Fadhili gas plant in the Eastern Province. The contracts for the gas […]

Borouge 4 UAE Video length: 03:31

Borouge to treble production despite lacklustre demand

The UAE petrochemicals company Borouge is to treble annual production capacity at its $6 billion polyolefin complex, despite forecasts of an oversupply in the sector. Once completed next year, Borouge 4 will be the world’s largest single-site producer of polyolefins, plastics mainly obtained from oil and natural gas. Borouge’s CEO, Hazeem Al Suwaidi, told AGBI […]

Saudi Aramco CEO Amin Nasser said no LNG would be produced from Saudi Arabia's natural gas output

Aramco to focus all LNG efforts on overseas projects

Saudi Aramco intends to expand its liquefied natural gas (LNG) business internationally, as it plans to use all its natural gas production domestically. CEO Amin Nasser told investors on Monday that the energy major has no intention of building LNG capacity in the kingdom and is discussing opportunities with different entities in the US, Australia […]

Sultan Al Jaber, Adnoc group chief executive

Adnoc buys 25% of Austrian chemical group OMV

Abu Dhabi state oil company Adnoc has formally closed the acquisition of a 25 percent stake in Austrian energy and chemicals group OMV. The energy giant bought the stake from UAE sovereign wealth fund Mubadala Investment Company.  Financial details were not disclosed. Österreichische Beteiligungs AG, an Austrian independent holding company, holds 31 percent in OMV, […]

Sabic said better conditions in its agriculture and automotive businesses are supporting its margins

Sabic reports loss of $747m as product prices tumble

Petrochemicals major Saudi Basic Industries Corporation (Sabic) reported a net loss of SAR2.8 billion ($747 million) in 2023, as average product sales fell by a fifth. The losses were also driven by the discontinuation of operations at Hadeed, its steel manufacturing subsidiary, which resulted in a loss of around SAR4 billion. In September 2023, Sabic […]

Adnoc has bid for German polymer manufacturer Covestro but its offers €55 and €57 per share were rejected

Adnoc faces hurdles in completing ambitious European deals

Abu Dhabi state oil company Adnoc is facing challenges to a duo of major European deals it is trying to get over the finish line, according to media reports. Talks with Austrian energy group OMV have been put on hold to allow parties to navigate a series of disagreements, the Financial Times reported on Friday. […]