On September 27, 2026, the SABIC PKN MTBE project, which was contracted by China Chemical Engineering Tianchen Company, passed the performance assessment in the Jubail Industrial Zone in Saudi Arabia in one go. This marks the official completion of the full cycle acceptance of the world's largest MTBE production base, and sets a new record for the construction and acceptance speed of large-scale overseas petrochemical projects. The general contracting capability of Chinese engineering enterprises in the petrochemical industry in Saudi Arabia has once again been verified by high difficulty projects.

The largest single unit scale in the world

The project is located in the Jubail Industrial Zone of Saudi Arabia, with a production capacity of 1 million tons per year, making it the largest MTBE plant in the world. The project was officially signed in November 2022 and started construction in December of the same year. The main focus was on expanding and renovating PKN's existing 700000 ton MTBE plant annually, increasing its production capacity to 1 million tons per year. This project is SABIC's first MTBE project that fully adopts its own patented technology, covering three main units of n-butane isomerization, isobutane dehydrogenation, and MTBE synthesis, as well as supporting utilities. During the construction period, the project team innovatively created a deep collaborative integration model for design, procurement, and construction. Through various measures such as prefabricated construction and optimized international logistics, the project was able to achieve mechanical completion 4 days ahead of schedule and smooth production 1 month ahead of schedule. In December 2025, the device will be put into operation ahead of schedule and enter commercial operation. The one-time passing of this performance assessment marks the official completion of the full cycle acceptance of the project from construction to operation.

Triple the operating cycle

The technological upgrade effect of this expansion and renovation is significant. The continuous operation cycle of MTBE synthesis unit has been extended from the original 8 months to 2 years, and the equipment reliability and environmental performance have reached the industry-leading level. The project reduces catalyst consumption by about 6300 tons per year, effectively utilizes by-product low-pressure steam to generate 10MW of electricity, and significantly improves environmental benefits and operational reliability. The domestication rate of key equipment materials exceeds 40%, achieving the first entry of key equipment such as steam turbines and compressors into the Saudi market. According to China Chemical Engineering Tianchen Company, the core static equipment of the isobutane dehydrogenation unit manufactured by Zhang Huaji consists of two dehydrogenation reactors, each weighing 146 tons, which have been successfully shipped and lifted. The project team has also integrated a new generation of isobutane dehydrogenation technology and a high-capacity regeneration compressor, significantly improving production efficiency and supply capacity. With outstanding performance, this project has become the only EPC project to win the SABIC Annual Innovation Award. Keywords: infrastructure news and information, international, enterprise going global

Equipment going global towards high-end

Tianchen Company has achieved full cycle performance under SABIC's high standards, and SABIC's annual innovation award demonstrates that Chinese engineering enterprises have been able to participate in technology optimization and model innovation. The first entry of core equipment such as steam turbines and compressors into the Saudi market means that Chinese manufacturing has broken through the technological trust threshold of high-end equipment in Middle Eastern petrochemicals, and has built a localized supply chain channel for domestic petrochemical equipment, valves, instruments, and catalysts enterprises. Track the expansion and renovation plans of owners such as SABIC and Saudi Aramco, and obtain participation windows earlier than waiting for bidding for new projects.Editor/Gao Xue