By Simon Robinson, Singapore
Singapore -- Dow Chemical has the rights to sell and distribute polyurethane products such as isocyanates and polyols produced at the Sadara joint venture with Aramco outside the Middle East, Peter Harrison, manager of conversion parks projects, told delegates at the ICIS Polyurethane Chain conference in Singapore.
Harrison said that Sadara will sell directly within the zone around the park which is being built in Al Jubail, on the Arabian Gulf.
Outside of this region, under the original joint venture agreement, sales were to be made by Aramco. But Aramco has agreed to transfer the rights to sell to Dow Chemical for an unspecified period of time, Harrison added. This was because Aramco’s expertise lies upstream in petrochemicals rather than in the downstream products of Sadara.
Harrison confirmed that production of MDI, TDI and polyols is on schedule to start in 2016. He confirmed that the industrial complex, the largest built in a single phase, is 70% complete.
The site is making MDI, TDI and propylene oxide to feed and is under construction at a high level of completeness. Part of this stream will be used to make polyether polyols and ethylene oxide will be used to make glycol ethers.
