PETROCHEMICALS: CHEMICALS

_{* PRODUCTS/PRODUCT GROUPS}

SABIC introduced a new certified low-carbon product portfolio in 2024, starting with methanol, produced with a reduced carbon footprint while meeting the same high-quality specifications. This methanol supports a range of applications, including resins for laminate flooring and acrylic sheets.

 

We achieved progress in our integration with Saudi Aramco, delivering synergies in joint growth projects both within Saudi Arabia and globally. This partnership has reinforced our role as Saudi Aramco's chemical arm and bolstered our leadership in the petrochemical sector. The expansion of our portfolio includes polyurethane, propylene oxide (PO), propylene glycol, and methyl methacrylate (MMA) from Saudi Aramco's Petro Rabigh (PRC) and Sadara assets (Saudi Arabia) and S-Oil asset (South Korea). During the year, we began marketing our first-ever shipment of PO from the PRC asset, a product with a global production capacity of 16 million metric tons, widely used in polyurethanes and propylene glycols.

The SABIC Fujian project positions us to grow our market share and customer base while efficiently meeting the rising demand for chemicals, such as MEG, in South China. This initiative will also enhance the stability of our material supply. In the future, we will strengthen our presence across China, solidifying our position as a local player. Currently, we are focusing on product pre-marketing activities ahead of the project's commencement.

 

The new MTBE plant at Petrokemya in Jubail, Saudi Arabia – the largest of its kind globally – will replace the existing isobutane dehydrogenation unit. Leveraging SABIC's proprietary technology, the plant is designed to meet the standards of the Saudi Energy Efficiency Center (SEEC) and to address safety, operability, and reliability challenges. With an increase of nameplate capacity to 1,000 kilotons per annum, this development will further strengthen SABIC's market-leading position.

 

In the rest of Asia, we continued to strengthen our regional presence and tap into new markets such as Bangladesh and Vietnam, as well as explore new applications for our products. We obtained our Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) certification for MEG, ethylene dichloride (EDC), and methanol, ensuring uninterrupted supplies and sustained growth in the rapidly expanding Indian market.

Our Ethoxylates business also achieved significant milestones in 2024. Annual sales surpassed previous records by 9.5%, marking the highest yearly performance since our plant's inception. This success was driven by the more optimized use of existing assets and a strategic diversification of our product portfolio, laying a strong foundation for future growth.

 

In the Middle East, we are enhancing business efficiency and safety by optimizing supply chain delivery costs. This includes transitioning styrene monomer sales from truck deliveries to hub-based sales.

 

Located at King Fahad Industrial Port in Jubail, our Amiral Storage Project supports Saudi Aramco and Total Energies in the storage, import, and export of butadiene and methyl tertiary-butyl ether (MTBE). The facility includes two 15,000 m³ MTBE tanks and three 4,750 m³ butadiene sphere tanks, strengthening chemical logistics and infrastructure.