Saudi Butanol to build the world’s largest butanol facility

The Saudi Butanol Co (SaBuCo) has received the approval to build a SAR 1.9 billion butanol plant, the world’s largest, in Jubail Industrial City to support downstream industries in the kingdom.

The facility, scheduled to start production in 2015,  will have an annual capacity of 330,000 tons of n-butanol and 11,000 tons of 1-butanol

The project is a joint venture by Saudi Kayan Petrochemical Company (Saudi Kayan), an affiliate of the Saudi Basic Industries Corp. (SABIC); Sadara Chemical Company (Sadara)- a joint venture between the Saudi Arabian Oil Co (Aramco) and The Dow Chemical Company (Dow); and Saudi Acrylic Acid Company (SAAC), a company owned by an affiliate of Tasnee Co. and Sahara Petrochemicals Co.

The partners are working on several agreements including,  financing, fees, operations & maintenance, engineering & procurement, construction, project management consulting, and technology licensing.

Tasnee, or the National Industrialization Co, will operate the plant which will create 200 direct and indirect jobs for Saudis.