Petro Rabigh manufactures plastics (called polymers and monomers) that are converted into plastics, detergents, lubricants, resins, coolants, anti-freeze, paint, carpets, rope, clothing, shampoo, auto interiors, epoxy glue, insulation, film, fibres, household appliances, packaging, candles, film, pipes and thousands of other applications.
Petro Rabigh's products are marketed and distributed domestically and exported to foreign countries via our deep sea port on the Red Sea. China is the plant's largest single customer.
Petro Rabigh employs more than 3,000 regular employees, of which over 80 percent are Saudi, with other employees representing 37 nations from around the globe. The plant is expected to almost double in size in the next few years.
A proposed conversion park nearby will provide up to 5,000 additional jobs.
Petro Rabigh has an on-site R&D facility, and continuously sends employees around the world to keep up with the latest innovations, including the US, Europe, South America and Asia.
A joint venture between Saudi Aramco and Sumitomo Chemical, the plant is valued at over US$10 billion, making Sumitomo’s 50 per cent share the largest foreign investment ever in Saudi Arabia.
Financing for the development featured the largest Islamic facility of any project finance transaction to date.
Saudi Aramco supplies the operation with 400,000 barrels per day of crude oil, 95 million cubic feet per day of ethane and about 15,000 barrels per day of butane.
This feedstock is processed by a state-of-the-art plant that includes the world’s largest and most sophisticated High Olefins Fluid Catalytic Cracker (HOFCC) and Ethane Cracker.
The HOFCC uses high temperatures and catalysts to convert heavy oil into gasoline, naphtha and, finally, propylene, used to make everything from insulation to durable goods.
The Ethane Cracker uses similar “cracking” processes to convert ethane into polymer grade ethylene, used in the manufacture of lubricants, detergents and other products.
Petro Rabigh comprises 23 plants producing 18.4 million tons per annum (mpta) of petroleum-based products and 2.4 mpta of ethylene and propylene-based derivatives.
The Petro Rabigh Community is located on the Red Sea, on a 3,000 acre site. It is a self-contained city, complete with medical facilities, schools, a shopping mall, sports and recreational facilities, a beachfront and a park.
Petro Rabigh’s red-and-green palm tree logo is designed to reflect people, planet, prosperity, forward-thinking, optimism, traditional Saudi culture, expansion, transparency, sophistication and the Japanese and Saudi flags.
