Saudi Aramco and French energy giant Total are still discussing details of their proposed petrochemical plant to be built as part of the expansion of the Saudi Aramco Total Refining Company (Satorp) refinery complex in Jubail.

Documents detailing the front-end engineering and design (feed) scope of work for the facility are supposed to be released this quarter, although it has not been issued yet, a source has told MEED.

“They [project owners] are doing some basic studies internally. Feasibility studies are still going on,” the source said.

The upcoming petrochemical complex will comprise a mixed feed steam cracker with the capacity to produce 1.5 million tonnes annually (mta) of ethylene, plus other petrochemical producing units.

Aramco and Total signed a memorandum of understanding in April, during Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman’s visit to France, to commit $9bn for the Satorp plant.

However, the budget approval is yet to happen, the source added.

The feedstock for the plant would partially come from the Satorp refinery, in which Aramco owns 62.5 per cent and Total 37.5 per cent, and from Sadara, Aramco’s Jubail-based joint venture with US’ Dow Chemical.

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