UAE's Borouge 4 Project in Full Swing

Borouge, a leading petrochemical company that provides innovative and differentiated polyolefin solutions, has announced that over 50% work has been completed on the Borouge 4, one of the largest industrial projects underway in the UAE.

A joint venture between Abu Dhabi National Oil Company (Adnoc) and Austrian chemical giant Borealis, Borouge said once completed, it will boost Borouge’s production facilities at Al Ruwais Industrial City, making it the world’s largest single-site polyolefin complex.

As one of the world’s biggest ongoing industrial construction projects, Borouge 4 is stimulating the UAE’s manufacturing sector, said the statement from Borouge.

Spanning over 3.4 million sq m area – equivalent to 500 football pitches – with over 7,500 km of cables to be laid, 340,000 cu m of concrete and 77,500 tons of structural steel to be used, the project has made strong progress since its groundbreaking in early 2022.

According to Borouge, the electrical cables powering the plant, and the high-density polyethylene (HDPE) piping used are directly sourced and manufactured from the group’s polyethylene material, which is entirely produced in the UAE.

During a recent visit to the site, Dr. Sultan bin Ahmed Al Jaber, Minister of Industry and Advanced Technology, Managing Director and Group CEO of the Abu Dhabi National Oil Company (ADNOC), and Chairman of Borouge, witnessed the strong construction progress including the installation of the world’s largest, first-ever UAE built Borstar gas phase reactor.

The project will help increase its production capacity by 1.4 million tons a year to take the total to 6.4 million tons, it stated.

Borouge CEO Hazeem Sultan Al Suwaidi said: "This project is of significant importance to both Borouge and development of the UAE’s industrial sector. The project, which is over halfway completed, will not only boost our production capacity, and mark our facilities at Al Ruwais Industrial City in Al Dhannah as the largest single-site polyolefin complex but also enhance our ability to deliver product innovation and value to customers across the high-growth markets we serve."

"As one of the UAE’s largest industrial projects, it is already delivering significant economic impact, with considerable orders placed with UAE manufacturers and a strong target ICV score," noted Al Suwaidi.

"As Borouge plays its part in driving ‘Make it in the Emirates’, the project has emerged as a pivotal catalyst for the UAE’s industrial growth, while also supporting the nation’s initiatives towards decarbonization and energy efficiency," he stated.

According to him, the plant will enable Borouge to rapidly increase global sales of its innovative and differentiated polyolefins solutions.

The company supplies vital materials for critical sectors such as energy, infrastructure, and agriculture, and its solutions are increasingly deployed in major renewable energy projects.

Borouge said the project continues to progress as per schedule and remains on track for completion by the end of 2025.

Once ready, the project will be transferred to Borouge from its majority shareholders, Adnoc and Borealis.

Sultan Zaid Al Shehhi, Borouge 4 Project Director, said: "A project of this scale speaks to the strength of the UAE’s industrial sector and Borouge’s ability to collaborate with partners across the value chain. We have worked closely with manufacturers and suppliers, both large and small, from across the UAE, to boost ICV and fast-track the delivery of this strategic growth project."

"The project, which will require over 100 million manhours to deliver, remains on track to be completed by the end of 2025 – a testament to Borouge’s excellence in execution capabilities. Moreover, with over 20,000 people on site at peak time, we have maintained our resolute focus on health and safety without compromising on quality of execution and speed of delivery thanks to the collective efforts of the Borouge project team and its contractors," he added.

It serves as a significant contributor to the UAE’s In-Country Value (ICV) program, targeting an ICV score of 63%. The project has already delivered substantial economic benefits by awarding purchase orders totalling over US$600 million to companies within the country.

Last week, the project achieved a significant milestone by completing the on-site installation of the world’s largest Borealis Borstar gas phase reactor, said Al Shehhi.

"Weighing over 500 tons each, these represent the first-ever UAE-built reactors of their kind, underscoring the country’s industrial development and capabilities, showcasing the superior technology being used throughout the project, and contributing to the ICV that the project has been able to deliver," he added.