Downstream operator Adnoc Refining is expected to tender an engineering, procurement and construction package for a new gasoline and aromatics project at Ruwais Refinery early next year, according to industry sources.

The aromatics facility is expected to have a capacity of 1.4 million tonnes a-year (m t/y) with planned gasoline capacity estimated at 4.2 m t/y.

The project will take 50 months to complete, once the package is awarded next year, according to sources.

Parent company Abu Dhabi National Oil Company (Adnoc) announced last year that it would grow domestic refining and petrochemicals capacity - including gasoline, aromatics and additional polyolefin capacity - as part of its 2030 strategy.

It announced plans to add 4.2 m t/y of gasoline and 1.4 m t/y of aromatics by 2022.

Adnoc recently underwent a corporate branding revamp, centralising all units under a singular brand name plans to increase gasoline production to 10.2 mtpa by 2022.

In July, Adnoc announced plans to build a new petrochemicals complex a Ruwais as part of its Borouge joint venture with Vienna-based Borealis as it looks at further downstream integration.