Saudi Basic Industries Corp. (SABIC) and affiliates of ExxonMobil recently announced plans to construct a world-scale specialty elastomers facility at the Al-Jubail Petrochemical Co. (Kemya) manufacturing joint venture. The facility will reportedly be integrated with the existing Jubail complex and is expected to be completed in 2015.

The facility is expected to have the capacity to produce up to 400,000 tons per year of rubber (including halobutyl, styrene butadiene, polybutadiene, and ethylene propylene diene monomer rubbers), thermoplastic specialty polymers, and carbon black to serve local markets, the Middle East and Asia. Kemya has awarded the EPC contract for the elastomers facility to Technip, Tecnicas Reunidas and Daelim.

Kemya is a 50-50 joint venture between SABIC and Exxon Chemical Arabia Inc., an affiliate of ExxonMobil Chemical Co. The two companies have collaborated closely since 1980 when they established the joint venture, which produces polyethylene, ethylene, and propylene. The new synthetic rubber project represents a significant broadening of Kemya’s product portfolio.

Associated with the new Kemya elastomers facility is the establishment of the High Institute for

Elastomer Industries (HIEI), a vocational training center in Yanbu; a product application center in Riyadh; and thermoplastic polyolefin compounding and inventory management facilities in Jubail.

For additional information, visit www.exxonmobil.com or www.sabic.com.