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Bloomberg
Saudi Aramco aims to become a global refiner and chemical maker, seeking to profit from parts of the oil industry where demand is growing the fastest while also underpinning the kingdom’s economic diversification.
The world’s biggest oil exporter is earmarking $500 billion to invest over the next 10 years, including $160 billion for natural gas developments and $100 billion for chemicals projects, Aramco Chief Executive Officer Amin Nasser said in an interview in Dhahran, Saudi Arabia. The spending would come on top of the company’s planned purchase of a majority stake in Sabic, the Middle East’s largest chemical business, a deal that could be valued at about $70 billion.
“We need a major acquisition for us to be in different markets quickly,†Nasser said. Sabic has a presence in more than 50 countries, and “it makes sense†for Aramco to acquire a company of its size, he said.
Aramco, which is also planning what would be the world’s largest share sale, plays a central role in efforts to transform the Saudi economy. Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman is leading a strategy to build new industries and diversify the kingdom away from reliance on sales of oil. A major part of the transformation is Aramco’s plan to buy 70 percent of Sabic from the sovereign Public Investment Fund (PIF).
Aramco expects to conclude negotiations with the PIF soon, and “all financial instruments are on the table†for funding it, Nasser said.
Aramco’s interest in Sabic rests partly on projections that demand for petrochemicals will account for a rising share of global crude output. Petrochemical use will increase faster than for any other segment of the oil industry, according to the International Energy Agency.