SABIC CEO to Asharq Al-Awsat: We Expect Improvement in Demand for Petrochemicals in 2nd Half of 2023

SABIC acting CEO Abdulrahman Al-Fageeh speaks during a press conference in Riyadh. (Asharq Al-Awsat)
SABIC acting CEO Abdulrahman Al-Fageeh speaks during a press conference in Riyadh. (Asharq Al-Awsat)
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SABIC CEO to Asharq Al-Awsat: We Expect Improvement in Demand for Petrochemicals in 2nd Half of 2023

SABIC acting CEO Abdulrahman Al-Fageeh speaks during a press conference in Riyadh. (Asharq Al-Awsat)
SABIC acting CEO Abdulrahman Al-Fageeh speaks during a press conference in Riyadh. (Asharq Al-Awsat)

Energy prices caused the profit margins of the Saudi Basic Industries Corporation (SABIC) - the world’s largest petrochemical producer - to decline by 28 percent in 2022.

SABIC acting CEO Abdulrahman Al-Fageeh told Asharq Al-Awsat that the company was optimistic about the quality and reliability of the factories, expecting that the second half of 2023 would witness an improvement in demand for petrochemical products.

He stressed at the same time that feedstock prices that fall under energy, put pressure on profit margins.

Speaking during a press conference on Tuesday to announce SABIC financial results, Al-Fageeh noted that the company maintained its strong performance over the past year, despite the difficult conditions in the global markets.

He added that sales continued to grow over last year by 9 percent, thanks to growth projects, improved plant operation performance, inventory optimization and cooperation with Saudi Aramco.

“SABIC 2022 results remain strong despite challenging market conditions. Our sales volumes continue to grow, exceeding the previous year’s sales by 9 percent and driven by growth projects, improved reliability, inventory optimization and synergies with Saudi Aramco,” said Al-Fageeh.

In a statement, SABIC announced its financial results for the fourth quarter of 2022, saying that revenues amounted to 42.9 billion riyals ($11.4 billion), a decrease of 8 percent compared to the previous quarter. Net income fell 84 percent to SR290 million.

SABIC maintained its leadership in the field of sustainable solutions throughout 2022, leading and collaborating on many milestones in its journey towards carbon neutrality.

At the beginning of 2022, the company introduced the BLUEHERO initiative, an expanding ecosystem of materials, solutions, expertise and programs aimed to help accelerate the world’s energy transition to electric power and support meeting global goals on climate change.

SABIC partnered with BASF and Linde to build the world’s first pilot plant for large-scale electric-heated steam cracking furnaces.



OPEC Again Cuts 2024, 2025 Oil Demand Growth Forecasts

The OPEC logo. Reuters
The OPEC logo. Reuters
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OPEC Again Cuts 2024, 2025 Oil Demand Growth Forecasts

The OPEC logo. Reuters
The OPEC logo. Reuters

OPEC cut its forecast for global oil demand growth this year and next on Tuesday, highlighting weakness in China, India and other regions, marking the producer group's fourth consecutive downward revision in the 2024 outlook.

The weaker outlook highlights the challenge facing OPEC+, which comprises the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries and allies such as Russia, which earlier this month postponed a plan to start raising output in December against a backdrop of falling prices.

In a monthly report on Tuesday, OPEC said world oil demand would rise by 1.82 million barrels per day in 2024, down from growth of 1.93 million bpd forecast last month. Until August, OPEC had kept the outlook unchanged since its first forecast in July 2023.

In the report, OPEC also cut its 2025 global demand growth estimate to 1.54 million bpd from 1.64 million bpd, Reuters.

China accounted for the bulk of the 2024 downgrade. OPEC trimmed its Chinese growth forecast to 450,000 bpd from 580,000 bpd and said diesel use in September fell year-on-year for a seventh consecutive month.

"Diesel has been under pressure from a slowdown in construction amid weak manufacturing activity, combined with the ongoing deployment of LNG-fuelled trucks," OPEC said with reference to China.

Oil pared gains after the report was issued, with Brent crude trading below $73 a barrel.

Forecasts on the strength of demand growth in 2024 vary widely, partly due to differences over demand from China and the pace of the world's switch to cleaner fuels.

OPEC is still at the top of industry estimates and has a long way to go to match the International Energy Agency's far lower view.

The IEA, which represents industrialised countries, sees demand growth of 860,000 bpd in 2024. The agency is scheduled to update its figures on Thursday.

- OUTPUT RISES

OPEC+ has implemented a series of output cuts since late 2022 to support prices, most of which are in place until the end of 2025.

The group was to start unwinding the most recent layer of cuts of 2.2 million bpd from December but said on Nov. 3 it will delay the plan for a month, as weak demand and rising supply outside the group maintain downward pressure on the market.

OPEC's output is also rising, the report showed, with Libyan production rebounding after being cut by unrest. OPEC+ pumped 40.34 million bpd in October, up 215,000 bpd from September. Iraq cut output to 4.07 million bpd, closer to its 4 million bpd quota.

As well as Iraq, OPEC has named Russia and Kazakhstan as among the OPEC+ countries which pumped above quotas.

Russia's output edged up in October by 9,000 bpd to about 9.01 million bpd, OPEC said, slightly above its quota.