Saudi International Petrochemical Company (Sipchem) is planning to start up three plants at its operations in Jubail, Saudi Arabia, in 2013, according to Samir al-Jishi, the company’s general manager of planning and project development.

The company, through its International Polymer Company subsidiary, expects to complete construction of a 200,000 tonnes a year (t/y) ethylene vinyl acetate (EVA) and low density polyethylene (LDPE) complex in the second quarter.

“There will be a trial operation [at the complex] in the third quarter,” said Al-Jishi at the MEED Middle East Petrochemicals conference in Dubai.

The engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) contract for the facility was awarded to South Korea’s GS E&C in 2010.

Sipchem’s Gulf Advanced Cable Insulation Company subsidiary is also preparing to start up a 25,000 t/y cross-linked polyethylene (XLPE) and related chemicals plant this year. 

At the same time, Sipchem expects to start up a 100,000 t/y ethyl acetate/butyl acetate plant by the end of the year. The technology for the facility was provided by French petrochemicals group Rhodia.