Chemicals
Olefins
Olefins are used in the manufacture of virtually all consumer products made with chemicals or plastics. The most important of these are ethylene and propylene.
Oxygenates
The main chemicals in this group are alcohols and ethers. An important oxygenate for SABIC is methyl tertiary butyl ether (MTBE), the octane enhancer that replaces lead in fuel. Methanol is the starting point for the formaldehyde resins on which the paint, adhesive and decorative-laminate industries depend, while purified industrial ethanol is a component of many pharmaceuticals, cosmetics, insecticides and organic solutions.
Aromatics
Aromatics are a group of hydrocarbons that form the basis of important commodity chemicals used in the production of items such as clothing, paints and packaging. Among SABIC’s aromatics are styrene, benzene and paraxylene.
Chemical intermediates
Chemical intermediates are used to make a wide range of materials for everyday essentials such as textiles, soaps, polyvinyl chloride (PVC) and other plastics.
Fibre intermediates
Fibre intermediates are used in the manufacture of antifreeze, detergents, paints and polyester.
Industrial gases
Industrial gases are gases that we supply pure, in liquid or gas form, which are used in industrial processes. While we mainly supply these gases to SABIC affiliates, our krypton-xenon mix and our argon are available for regional industries and for export.
Linear alpha olefins
Linear alpha olefins are linear hydrocarbons with an even number of carbon atoms, unsaturated at the terminal (alpha) positions of the molecule. These chemicals form components of comonomers, alcohols, lubricants, surfactants and other intermediate chemicals.