Petro Rabigh restarts cracker, PE units after power outage

Rabigh Refining and Petrochemical Co. (Petro Rabigh) has restarted its 1.6 million metric tons per year (mt/y) ethane cracker and downstream derivative plants following a power outage on May 19, ICIS reported, citing a source close to the company.

Exactly when the operations resumed is unclear, but the cracker is likely running at 70-80 percent of capacity, according to a market source, ICIS said.

The company’s two polyethylene (PE) units are running, while the polypropylene unit has not yet restarted.

The facility is located in Rabigh, nearly 150 kilometers north of Jeddah.

Polymer facilities at Rabigh’s site include a 600,000 tonne/year linear low density polyethylene (LLDPE) plant; a 700,000 tonne/year polypropylene (PP) unit; and a 300,000 tonne/year high density polyethylene (HDPE) line.

Petro Rabigh is a joint venture between Japan’s Sumitomo Chemical and Saudi Aramco.