The Petro Rabigh refining and petrochemicals joint venture between Saudi Aramco and Japan’s Sumitomo is planning a 4Q15 shutdown, which will temporarily rein in Saudi Arabia’s refining surge. The whole complex, based around a 400,000 b/d refinery and 1.3mn tons/year cracker, is scheduled for a 50-day complete shutdown that will halt production from 4 October 2015 to 23 November 2015.
Saudi crude runs reached a record 2.22mn b/d in December, and the ramp-up of crude processing at the 400,000 b/d Yasref refinery at Yanbu’ is expected to take total Saudi capacity to 2.91mn b/d by the end of 2015 (MEES, 27 February). (CONTINUED - 267 WORDS)
