The contract involves the successful bidder preparing a market study on global demand and production of LAB and n-paraffin, an assessment of process technology licensors, ways of integrating the new plant into the refinery, and preparation of the terms of reference for the front-end engineering and design (FEED) package.

Feedstock for the facility would come from a variety of sources including the refinery, while the output would be used by the detergent industry. Two LAB/n-paraffin projects are planned by private investors in Saudi Arabia.