Aramco to expand presence in China by acquiring 10% stake in Rongsheng Petrochemical

Aramco, one of the world’s leading integrated energy and chemicals companies, has signed definitive agreements to acquire a 10% interest in Shenzhen-listed Rongsheng Petrochemical Co. Ltd. (“Rongsheng”) for RMB 24.6 billion ($3.6 billion at current exchange rates), in a deal that would significantly expand its downstream presence in China.

Through the strategic arrangement, Aramco would supply 480,000 barrels per day (bpd) of Arabian crude oil to Rongsheng affiliate Zhejiang Petroleum and Chemical Co. Ltd (ZPC), under a long-term sales agreement. Aramco Overseas Company (“AOC”), a wholly-owned subsidiary of Aramco, will acquire the interest in Rongsheng.

Among other assets, Rongsheng owns a 51% equity interest in ZPC, which in turn owns and operates the largest integrated refining and chemicals complex in China with a capacity to process 800,000 bpd of crude oil and to produce 4.2 million metric tons of ethylene per year.

Mohammed Y. Al Qahtani, Aramco Executive Vice President of Downstream, said:“This announcement demonstrates Aramco’s long-term commitment to China and belief in the fundamentals of the Chinese petrochemicals sector. It is an important acquisition for Aramco in a key market, supporting our growth ambitions and advancing our liquids to chemicals strategy. It also promises to secure a reliable supply of essential crude to one of China’s most important refiners.”

Li Shuirong, Rongsheng Chairman, said: “This strategic co-operation will take our long-term friendship and mutual trust to a new level, and paves the way for a bright future for the high-quality development of the world’s petrochemicals industry. I believe that Aramco’s involvement will greatly help Rongsheng implement its petrochemical growth strategy.”

The investment would anchor an important association between Aramco, Rongsheng and ZPC, which operates one of the world’s most state-of-the-art chemical conversion assets.

The transaction involves an off-market secondary sale of Rongsheng shares by majority shareholder Zhejiang Rongsheng Holding Group, with potential for future collaboration between the parties in trading, refining, chemicals production and technology licensing. The transaction is expected to close by the end of 2023, and is subject to regulatory approvals.

It follows the announcement on March 26 that the Aramco joint venture, Huajin Aramco Petrochemical Company (HAPCO), planned to start construction of a major integrated refinery and petrochemical complex in northeast China in the second quarter of 2023. Aramco, which has a 30% stake in HAPCO, will supply up to 210,000 bpd of crude oil feedstock to the complex.

Combined, the partnership with Rongsheng and the HAPCO joint venture would see Aramco supply a total of 690,000 bpd of crude to high chemical conversion assets.

Aramco JV HAPCO to commence construction of major refinery and petrochemical complex in China

Aramco and joint venture partners NORINCO Group and Panjin Xincheng Industrial Group plan to start construction of a major integrated refinery and petrochemical complex in northeast China.

Huajin Aramco Petrochemical Company (HAPCO), a joint venture between Aramco (30%), NORINCO Group (51%) and Panjin Xincheng Industrial Group (19%), is developing the complex that will combine a 300,000 barrels per day refinery and a petrochemical plant with annual production capacity of 1.65 million metric tons of ethylene and 2 million metric tons of paraxylene.

Construction is due to start in the second quarter of 2023 after the project secured the required administrative approvals. It is expected to be fully operational by 2026.

Aramco will supply up to 210,000 bpd of crude oil feedstock to the complex, which is being built in the city of Panjin, in China’s Liaoning province.

Mohammed Y. Al Qahtani, Aramco Executive Vice President of Downstream, said: “This important project will support China’s growing demand across fuel and chemical products. It also represents a major milestone in our ongoing downstream expansion strategy in China and the wider region, which is an increasingly significant driver of global petrochemical demand. “

Zou Wenchao, NORINCO Group Deputy General Manager, said: “This large-scale refinery and petrochemical complex is a key project of NORINCO Group to implement and realize the joint development of the high-quality Belt and Road initiative, promote industrial restructuring, and enhance the oil and petrochemical sector to become stronger, better and larger. It will play an important role in deepening economic and trade cooperation between China and Saudi Arabia, and achieving common development and prosperity.”

Jia Fei, Panjin Xincheng Chairman of the Board, said: "The project is of great significance for Panjin to promote increasing chemicals and specialty products, strengthening integration of the refining and chemical industry. It is a symbolic project for Panjin as it seeks to accelerate the development of an important national petrochemical and fine chemical industry base.”

CVR Energy Proceeds with Alkylation Project Using KBR’s K-SAAT Technology

KBR (NYSE: KBR) announced today that CVR Energy, Inc.’s Board of Directors has approved the next phase of the revamp of the alkylation unit at its subsidiary’s crude oil refinery located in Wynnewood, Oklahoma.

This phase entails the completion of engineering, design, module fabrication and construction for KBR’s Solid Acid Alkylation Technology (K-SAAT™) unit to eliminate hydrofluoric (HF) acid from the refinery. KBR’s contract includes the supply of a fully engineered and fabricated modular solution along with KBR’s proprietary catalyst for the project.

“We view this as a landmark project for the U.S. refining industry,” said Doug Kelly, KBR President, Technology. “The Wynnewood refinery will be the first U.S. implementation of K-SAAT technology, which in addition to delivering higher alkylate yield, should provide tangible environmental and safety benefits. We believe other leading refiners will adopt this technology given its clear ESG advantage.”

“We are pleased to move forward with this important project,” said Dave Lamp, President & Chief Executive Officer of CVR Energy. “It represents yet another example of CVR Energy’s efforts to focus on safe, efficient and reliable operations, and should increase gasoline production by upgrading lower-valued propylene.”

KBR’s K-SAAT provides an opportunity to maximize the yield and quality of an ultra-clean gasoline blendstock with the ExSact™ catalyst, a revolutionary solid-acid catalyst that has been engineered to outperform liquid acid catalysts.

Uniper signed agreement to divest its UAE-based marine fuel trading business

Uniper has reached an agreement to sell 100% of the shares in its United Arab Emirates-based crude oil processing and marine fuel trading business (Uniper Energy DMCC) to a consortium of Montfort Group and the Private Office of Sheikh Ahmed Dalmook Al Maktoum. The parties agreed to not disclose the agreed purchase price and the acquisition is expected to be completed in the coming months, subject to satisfaction of certain conditions precedent.

Uniper Energy DMCC is producing and supplying IMO 2020 compliant low sulphur fuel oils to the Fujairah market – the third largest bunker fuel market in the world. The business comprises the operation of a crude processing facility in the Port of Fujairah, selling over 30 million barrels of low sulphur fuel oil to the shipping industry each year, and a trading office based in Dubai, including a team of around 25 people.

Divestment of this non-strategic participation is part of the remedies Uniper must fulfill under EU state aid law. On December 20th 2022, the EU Commission approved the stabilization package for Uniper under state aid law. As part of the approval, the EU Commission set out a number of structural remedies that Uniper must fulfil. On January 16, Uniper has announced the divestment from its 20% stage in the BBL gas pipeline as a first remedy measure under EU state aid law.

Eni Sustainable Mobility and PBF Energy Announce Partnership for St. Bernard Biorefinery in the US

Eni Sustainable Mobility and PBF Energy Inc. today announced they have entered into definitive agreements to partner in a 50-50 joint venture, St. Bernard Renewables LLC (SBR), for the biorefinery currently under construction co-located with PBF’s Chalmette Refinery in Louisiana (US). Upon consummation of the transaction, which is subject to customary closing conditions, including regulatory approvals, Eni Sustainable Mobility will contribute capital totaling $835 million plus up to additional $50 million that is subject to the achievement of eventual project milestones and will provide expertise in biorefining operations, supply and marketing. PBF brings its strong industrial know-how in the United States and, as the contributor of the biorefinery, will continue to manage project execution and serve as the operator once construction is complete. The St. Bernard Renewables biorefinery startup is scheduled in the first half of 2023 and the facility is currently targeted to have processing capacity of about 1.1 million tonnes/year of raw materials, with full pretreatment capabilities. It will produce mainly HVO Diesel (Hydrotreated Vegetable Oil, commonly known as ‘renewable diesel’ in North America), with a production capacity of 306 million gallons per year. The biorefinery will use the Ecofining™ process developed by Eni in cooperation with Honeywell UOP.

This strategic partnership will leverage the experience and expertise of Eni Sustainable Mobility and PBF. Together with Ecofining™ technology, Eni brings its experience in biorefining that led to the world’s first conversion of a refinery into a biorefinery in Porto Marghera (Venice) in 2014, and to the second converted biorefinery that has been working in Gela (Sicily) since 2019. The company also provides its worldwide knowledge in supplying sustainable feedstock sourcing for HVO, mainly based on oily waste and residues, and raw materials that do not compete with the food chain, coupled with access to international markets beyond PBF’s footprint in the United States. PBF brings experience in large capital project execution and fuels manufacturing as well as access to the California renewables market through its existing logistics assets. The joint venture reflects both partners' commitment to deliver more sustainable transportation fuels using low carbon intensity feedstocks.

“Joining St. Bernard Renewables biorefinery project enables Eni to enter into US biofuels growing market together with a strong partner such as PBF. This is a further step for Eni Sustainable Mobility to expand its biorefining capacity, that today is over 1 million tonnes/year and it is planned to grow in the upcoming years. Following results achieved in Venice and Gela, Eni Sustainable Mobility is a pioneer in the biorefining industry, and it is also studying possible construction of two new biorefineries in Italy and in Malaysia. We do believe the role of HVO will strongly contribute to decarbonization of road transports, including hard to abate heavy duty sector, as it leverages existing infrastructure and can immediately fuel existing vehicle fleets. Biofuels are part of Eni strategy to achieve carbon neutrality by 2050 through the reduction of the emissions generated during the entire products life cycle”, Stefano Ballista, CEO of Eni Sustainable Mobility, said.

"We're excited to enter this strategic partnership with Eni Sustainable Mobility, a global leader in biorefining. The SBR biorefinery will benefit greatly from PBF and Eni’s complementary strengths and expertise. The project will utilize existing processing infrastructure and diverse inbound and outbound logistics and is ideally situated to support growing demand for low-carbon fuels,” said PBF President Matthew Lucey. “Our partnership with Eni signals a major milestone for PBF and demonstrates our commitment to contributing diversified sources of energy to the global mix while lowering the carbon intensity of our operations and the products we manufacture."

SBR will operate as an independent entity with feed procurement and product distribution managed by a dedicated team working on behalf of the St. Bernard Renewables joint venture. While the partnership is set to benefit from its co-location with PBF’s Chalmette refinery through a variety of shared services, the operations and ownership of the Chalmette refinery will not be affected by the formation of the partnership.

Technip Energies Awarded Contract to Upgrade Aramco’s Sulfur Recovery Facilities at Riyadh Refinery

Technip Energies as part of its long-term agreement with Aramco – has been awarded a contract to upgrade sulfur recovery facilities at Aramco’s Riyadh Refinery.

This contract covers the implementation of three new tail gas treatment (TGT) units, improving the performance of the existing three sulfur recovery units (SRU) to comply with more stringent regulations for sulfur dioxide emissions, with recovery efficiency at more than 99.9%.

The project will be executed locally, leveraging Saudi economic resources and infrastructure.

The existing sulfur recovery units in the Riyadh refinery were designed and built by Technip Energies in the early 2000s.

Bhaskar Patel, SVP Sustainable Fuels, Chemicals & Circularity of Technip Energies, commented: “We are pleased to be entrusted by Aramco to work on the upgrading program of their refinery in Riyadh. By leveraging our long-standing relationship, which has been in place since the mid-1990s, we are committed to make this project another success, while utilizing local resources and supply chain.”

Note: this award is included in the Company’s fourth quarter 2022 financial results.

Imperial Approves $720 million for Largest Renewable Diesel Facility in Canada

Imperial (TSE: IMO, NYSE American: IMO) said today it will further help Canada achieve its net zero goals by investing about $720 million (USD $560 million) to move forward with construction of the largest renewable diesel facility in the country. The project at Imperial’s Strathcona refinery near Edmonton is expected to produce more than one billion litres of renewable diesel annually primarily from locally sourced feedstocks and could help reduce greenhouse gas emissions in the Canadian transportation sector by about 3 million metric tons per year, as determined in accordance with Canada’s Clean Fuel Regulation. Regulatory approval for the project is expected in the near term.

“Imperial supports Canada’s vision for a lower-emission future, and we are making strategic investments to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from our own operations and to help customers in vital sectors of the economy reduce their emissions,” said Brad Corson, Imperial chairman, president and chief executive officer. “The investment at our Strathcona refinery will deliver immediate benefits to the local economy creating jobs and contributing to a lower-emission energy future for our employees, neighbours and communities.”

The renewable diesel project was first announced in August 2021, with the Province of British Columbia supporting this project through a Part 3 Agreement under the BC low carbon fuel standard. A significant portion of the renewable diesel from Strathcona will be supplied to British Columbia in support of the province’s plan to lower carbon emissions. Imperial also intends to use renewable diesel in operations as part of the company’s emission reduction plans.

Imperial’s renewable diesel facility will use low-carbon hydrogen produced with carbon capture and storage technology to help Canada meet low emission fuel standards. Imperial has entered into an agreement with Air Products for low-carbon hydrogen supply and is developing agreements with other third parties for biofeedstock supply. The low-carbon hydrogen and biofeedstock will be combined with a proprietary catalyst to produce premium lower-emission diesel fuel and will reduce greenhouse gas emissions relative to conventional fuels.

Site preparation and initial construction are underway. Renewable diesel production is expected to start in 2025. The project is expected to create about 600 direct construction jobs, along with hundreds more through investments by business partners.