Saudi Aramco Total Refining and Petrochemical Co. (SATORP) is a joint venture between Saudi Aramco and France’s Total Oil Co. to build a 400,000 bpd grass roots, full-conversion refinery with integrated petrochemical production at Jubail II Industrial City.

When completed, the refinery will be the seventh most complex refinery in the world, converting Arabian Heavy crude oil into high-quality products including gasoline, kerosene and diesel, as well as petrochemical products such as benzene and propylene. The SATORP refinery is also the first producer of petroleum coke and paraxylene in the Kingdom.

Construction was completed in 2013, and all units are expected to be fully operational during 2014. At the end of 2013, the crude oil throughput was 56,000 bpd and the refinery had shipped seven fuel cargoes, including a naphtha shipment. In a strange coincidence, the first cargo from SATORP was loaded on Saudi National Day.

Joint ventures such as SATORP both strengthen our strategic position globally and serve our domestic needs. They also enhance the broader competitiveness of the Kingdom’s industries and foster a knowledge-based economy in which thousands of Saudi technicians, engineers and operators can find exciting job opportunities. The refinery is creating over 1,200 direct jobs in the Kingdom, each of which in turn helps create a further five indirect employment opportunities.