Mideast complex advances

Abu Dhabi National Oil Co. (ADNOC) and Borealis are moving forward with engineering and design for the Borouge 4 petrochemical complex in Abu Dhabi. The project will consist of a mixed-feedstock ethylene cracker, polyolefins plants, and plants for derivatives beyond polyolefins. It will be integrated with an ADNOC refinery in Ruwais, United Arab Emirates. Borouge, a joint venture owned 60% by ADNOC and 40% by Borealis, has already constructed three petrochemical complexes. The most recent one, Borouge 3, started up last year. The current facilities have a total capacity of 4.5 million metric tons per year and about $4 billion in annual sales. Borouge 4, when it starts up around 2023, will bring capacity up to nearly 10 million metric tons. Because it will use mixed feedstocks, such as naphtha from the refinery, Borealis CEO Mark Garrett has called it “by far the most ambitious petrochemicals project that we, or ADNOC, have ever undertaken.” In addition to the new complex, the partners have agreed to add another polypropylene plant to Borouge 3.