Daniel Burnham, the Chicago architect who spearheaded the building of the complex that housed the 1893 Columbian Exposition, was famous for saying that one should “make no little plans.” If he were alive today, he would love, love, love Sadara, the joint venture between The Dow Chemical Company and Saudi Aramco which was begun in 2011.
Let’s begin with the players. Dow is the second largest chemical manufacturer in the world, and Saudi Aramco is the world’s largest integrated petroleum enterprise. The Sadara Chemical Company will construct, own and operate an integrated chemicals complex in Jubail Industrial City II, in the Eastern Province of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. Once complete, the chemical complex will represent the largest petrochemical facility ever built in one single phase. The facility and the adjoining conversion parks will deliver a full range of value-added, performance products destined for the emerging markets of Asia, the Middle East and Africa.
Other big numbers:
6 km2 – The plant footprint—3 times the size of Monaco.
26 – The number of manufacturing units in the complex, 14 of which will produce certain chemicals for the first time in Saudi Arabia.
$20 billion – The initial investment by Dow and Saudi Aramco.
5,400 km – Miles of cable in the plant.
700,000 m3 – Amount of concrete needed for construction.
60,000 – Number of workers on-site at peak construction.
$10 billion – Projected annual revenues.
100% ‒ Amount of initial production already sold.
Click here and here and here for more big numbers (and names) about Sadara.
