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Chemical Sustainability in the Gulf Will Be Highlight of GPCA Forum in December

Proceedings of the GPCA in 2020. (Asharq Al-Awsat)
Proceedings of the GPCA in 2020. (Asharq Al-Awsat)
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Chemical Sustainability in the Gulf Will Be Highlight of GPCA Forum in December

Proceedings of the GPCA in 2020. (Asharq Al-Awsat)
Proceedings of the GPCA in 2020. (Asharq Al-Awsat)

The Gulf Petrochemicals and Chemicals Association (GPCA) is set to discuss the challenges facing the sector and propose solutions for them at the 16th edition of the annual forum in December.

The forum, “Shaping a Sustainable Future with Chemicals”, will take place in Riyadh for the first time from December 6 to 8.

Saudi Arabia's Energy Minister Prince Abdulaziz bin Salman will deliver the inaugural speech and chair a dialogue session with Gulf energy ministers.

GPCA Secretary General Dr. Abdulwahab Al-Sadoun said this year’s forum is being held amid extraordinary circumstances in the world.

The chemical industry is facing several challenges, most notably in regards to climate, food security and the economy, creating uncertainty over the future of the industry.

Al-Sadoun said he was looking forward to discussions that would provide solutions to global challenges and highlight how digitization and innovation can contribute to the industry.

Participants will also spotlight plans set in place by companies to commit to their obligations toward sustainability and decarbonization.

Welcome remarks will be delivered by Eng. Abdulrahman Al-Fageeh, Acting Chief Executive Officer of SABIC and Chairman of the GPCA.

It will be followed by an inaugural address by Prince Abdulaziz.

Energy ministers will hold a panel on “Balancing net-zero ambitions in the energy sector with growth – A policymaker’s balancing act.”

Keynote sessions on December 6 will feature Amin Nasser, President and CEO of Saudi Aramco, and Dr. Martin Brudermuller, Chairman of the Board of Executive Directors of BASF.

Talks at the three-day event will focus on the most urgent issues affecting the sector, including the transformation to clean energy, changing the concepts of environmental and social practices, restructuring future supply chains of chemicals, and innovation in the agri-nutrients industry.

The GPCA annual forum was launched in 2006 and has become the key event in the chemicals industry regionally and globally.

More than 2,500 representatives of around 600 companies from 91 countries will participate in this year’s edition.

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Aramco Plans Transition Minerals Joint Venture with Ma'aden

The proposed JV would focus on energy transition minerals, including extracting lithium from high-concentration deposits and advancing cost-effective direct lithium extraction (DLE) technologies - File Photo
The proposed JV would focus on energy transition minerals, including extracting lithium from high-concentration deposits and advancing cost-effective direct lithium extraction (DLE) technologies - File Photo
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Aramco Plans Transition Minerals Joint Venture with Ma'aden

The proposed JV would focus on energy transition minerals, including extracting lithium from high-concentration deposits and advancing cost-effective direct lithium extraction (DLE) technologies - File Photo
The proposed JV would focus on energy transition minerals, including extracting lithium from high-concentration deposits and advancing cost-effective direct lithium extraction (DLE) technologies - File Photo

Aramco, one of the world's leading integrated energy and chemicals companies, and Ma'aden, the largest multi-commodity mining and metals company in the Middle East and North Africa region, announced on Wednesday the signing of non-binding Heads of Terms, which envisages the formation of a minerals exploration and mining joint venture (JV) in Saudi Arabia.
According to a press release, the proposed JV would focus on energy transition minerals, including extracting lithium from high-concentration deposits and advancing cost-effective direct lithium extraction (DLE) technologies. Commercial lithium production is likely to commence by 2027.
This JV is expected to extend Aramco's capabilities into an adjacent sector, leveraging its technological innovation resource and data management skills. It would seek to unlock the potential of the Kingdom's high-value mineral resources, with the aim of helping meet the growing demand for lithium and other transition minerals both domestically and globally. The JV is expected to harness natural resources utilizing a wealth of subsurface data and emerging technologies to advance the Kingdom's economic diversification and energy ambitions, according to SPA.
The statements also added that there is significant potential for the extraction of energy transition minerals in the Kingdom. For example, Aramco has identified several areas with a high lithium concentration of up to 400 parts per million as part of its operations. The JV will benefit from Aramco's expertise and operations, including the use of existing infrastructure, industry-leading drilling operations, and more than 90 years of geological data in its area of operations.
Aramco Upstream President Nasir K. Al-Naimi said, "This announcement reflects Aramco's focus on positively contributing to the global energy transition. The proposed JV will enable the extraction of energy transition minerals, contributing to the growth of more sustainable energy solutions while diversifying our portfolio for a lower-carbon future. We expect that this partnership will leverage the world's leading upstream enterprise to apply significant low-cost advantages, industry experience, technological innovation, accumulated subsurface knowledge and an integrated supply chain ecosystem, with a view to meeting the Kingdom and potentially the world's projected lithium demand."
Ma'aden Senior Vice President of Exploration Darryl Clark stated, "Ma'aden has been undertaking one of the world's largest single-jurisdiction exploration programs across the Arabian Shield to unearth the estimated $2.5 trillion mineral endowment. This proposed JV would enable us to accelerate exploration of the Arabian Platform, combining Aramco's knowledge of the area with Ma'aden's mining and exploration expertise."
Lithium is a fundamental component of the energy transition, essential for production in fast-growing sectors such as electric vehicles, energy storage, and renewables. The global demand for lithium has tripled over the past five years, and its compound annual growth rate is anticipated to exceed 15% annually through 2035. The JV could help meet the Kingdom's forecasted demand for lithium, which is expected to grow twenty-fold between 2024 and 2030, supporting an estimated 500,000 electric vehicle batteries and 110 GW of renewables.
The planned JV, which is subject to customary closing conditions including regulatory approvals, was announced during the Future Minerals Forum in Riyadh.