Sabic’s Yanbu sites are contributing to the production of ethylene glycol and helping make the Saudi petrochemical giant the world’s biggest producer of the chemical.

Total EG production by the end of 2007 is expected to reach 4.2 million tonnes per year (tpy).
Currently, EG production totals 2.3 million tpy, of which 800,000 tpy comes from Yanpet (Saudi-Yanbu Petrochemical Company), Yanbu. Sharq (Eastern Petrochemical Company) in Al Jubail accounts for the remainder.
Yanbu will make a further major input to EG production when a plant complex planned for the city comes on stream at the end of 2007.
A new cracker at the complex will have an annual capacity of 1.3 million tpy. One of the highlights will be an EG plant with a capacity of 700,000 tpy. Other plants will produce polyethylene and polypropylene. 
The new complex reaffirms Sabic’s commitment to grow its core business, and move closer to achieving its vision of becoming one of the world’s leading global petrochemical companies.
The company has awarded a programme management service contract for the engineering, procurement and construction of the new petrochemical complex to Foster Wheeler Energy Limited.
Meanwhile, Sabic’s second EG plant at Jubail, which is to go on stream by the end of 2005, will have an annual capacity of 635,000 tpy It will use new technology from the US-based Scientific Design Company. Sabic and Sud-Chemie manage Scientific Design through a 50:50 joint venture. Ethylene and oxygen feedstock for the new plant will be provided by other Sabic companies - oxygen from its GAS affiliate; and Ethylene from United and Petrokemya (the Arabian Petrochemical Company).
A lump sum turnkey contract for the engineering, procurement and construction of the plant has been awarded to Toyo Engineering of Japan. It is expected to go on stream in the second quarter of 2006
The first United plant, for which Toyo has the EPC contract and which is currently under construction, will provide an EG capacity of 575,000 tpy. It is part of a complex comprising facilities that will also produce a million tonnes of ethylene and 150,000 tonnes of linear alpha olefins.
The company also has a 50 per cent stake in an 800,000 tpy polyethylene plant at nearby Petrokemya (Arabian Petrochemical Company).
EG is the primary feedstock for polyester manufacturing and is used in anti-freeze, marine engines, X-rays and luggage.