MOBIL, CHEMVEST STUDY SAUDI MTBE PLANT

Mobil Corp. is moving toward possible expansion of its downstream operations in Saudi Arabia. The company last week disclosed it expects by yearend to complete engineering studies with partner Chemvest, a Saudi petrochemical investment firm, for a methyl tertiary butyl ether plant. Likely site is Yanbu on the Saudi West Coast. If built, the plant would produce 800,000 metric tons/year (20,000 b/d). Mobil said that volume would place it among the world's largest MTBE plants.

May 20, 1991

Mobil Corp. is moving toward possible expansion of its downstream operations in Saudi Arabia.

The company last week disclosed it expects by yearend to complete engineering studies with partner Chemvest, a Saudi petrochemical investment firm, for a methyl tertiary butyl ether plant. Likely site is Yanbu on the Saudi West Coast.

If built, the plant would produce 800,000 metric tons/year (20,000 b/d). Mobil said that volume would place it among the world's largest MTBE plants.

Mobil, which would have access to 100% of production, would own a 50% share in the plant. A Chemvest affiliate, to be owned mainly by Saudis, would hold the other 50%.

At Yanbu, Mobil owns a 50% interest in a major petrochemicals plant in partnership with Saudi Basic Industries Corp., as well as a large export refinery with Samarec, the Saudi government's refining and marketing company, as its partner.

Yanbu's Red Sea access makes it an excellent site for MTBE shipments, Mobil said.