Aramco, Honeywell and King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST) have inked a Joint Development Agreement (JDA) to jointly develop a next-generation direct Crude-to-Chemicals (CTC) technology, with the goal of accelerating Saudi Arabia’s leadership in downstream innovation.
The development and expansion of the entire CTC process will be the main goals of the partnership. The goal of this program is to drastically lower the operating and capital expenses related to CTC conversion.
Through direct conversion into light olefins and other highly sought-after compounds, the novel CTC method aims to extract substantial value from every barrel of crude oil. It is anticipated that the novel CTC process idea will enhance process economics, fuel efficiency, and carbon usage, enabling more economical and effective production at scale.
By strengthening the Kingdom’s leadership in the petrochemicals sector, promoting economic diversification, and developing national research and technology skills, the partnership advances Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030. It offers a platform for high-impact innovation by strategically bringing together academic brilliance, industry expertise, and market ambition.
By bringing cutting-edge scientific knowledge to the center of industrial development, KAUST makes sure that innovation, design, and research all proceed together.
The partnership emphasises how important it is to combine market-driven goals with applied research in order to boost national competence and technology preparedness.
Leadership Comments
Dr. Ali A. Al-Meshari, Aramco Senior Vice President of Technology Oversight & Coordination, said: “This collaboration with Honeywell UOP and KAUST furthers Aramco’s efforts to drive innovation and shape the future of petrochemicals. By harnessing the power of cutting-edge technologies, we aim to enhance energy efficiency and unlock increased value from every barrel of crude. This novel Crudeto-Chemicals process is aligned with our vision of supporting the global transition towards cleaner, high-performance chemical production. Moreover, this initiative demonstrates our focus on contributing to the growth of a vibrant ecosystem, where the deployment of innovative technologies can create lasting value for our stakeholders, our communities, and the environment.”
Rajesh Gattupalli, Honeywell UOP President, said: “This agreement marks a defining moment in our strategic collaboration with Aramco and KAUST – and in the global evolution of Crude-to-Chemicals technology. With Honeywell UOP’s deep expertise in catalytic process design and commercial scaleup, we’re well positioned to drive this innovation forward. The outcome is expected to enhance energy efficiency, reduce emissions, and enable the Kingdom to unlock greater value from its resources while solidifying its competitive edge in the global chemicals market.”
Dr. Ian Campbell, Senior Vice President, National Transformation Institute (NTI), commented: “At KAUST, we believe that impactful science must translate into industrial solutions. This collaboration brings our research expertise together with the world-class engineering and R&D capabilities of the trio to address a major opportunity in the petrochemicals industry. It is a model for how academia and industry can jointly accelerate technology development in support of Saudi Arabia’s innovation-driven economy.”
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