Aramco, Honeywell, and King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST) have signed a joint development agreement to work together on next-generation direct Crude-to-Chemicals (CTC) technology. The initiative aims to develop and scale up the CTC process with the goal of reducing both capital and operating costs for converting crude oil directly into chemicals.
The new process is intended to maximize value from each barrel of crude by converting it into light olefins and other chemicals in high demand. This approach is expected to improve fuel efficiency, carbon utilization, and overall economics of chemical production.
The partnership supports Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030 by advancing economic diversification, building national research capabilities, and strengthening the country’s position in the petrochemicals sector. The collaboration brings together industrial expertise from Aramco and Honeywell with academic research from KAUST.
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 Crude-to-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, stated: “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 scale-up, 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 at KAUST’s 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 Honeywell UOP and Aramco 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.”
KAUST will contribute scientific expertise to ensure that applied research aligns closely with industry needs as part of this effort.
Honeywell operates globally across several industries through business segments including Aerospace Technologies, Industrial Automation, Building Automation, and Energy & Sustainability Solutions. More information about Honeywell can be found at www.honeywell.com/newsroom.
KAUST serves as Saudi Arabia’s leading science university focused on research partnerships aimed at supporting sectors such as energy leadership under Vision 2030 goals; more details are available at https://www.kaust.edu.sa/en.
