Dow Chemical is taking a half-share of the consortium

Dow Chemical is taking a half-share in a consortium that will build three world scale polyethylene plants in Oman, extending its position in the Middle East.

Dow’s partners in the joint venture are the Government of Oman (25%) and Oman Oil Company (25%). Work on the petrochemical complex, which is based around a gas cracker and includes feedstock production facilities, will begin next year.

The consortium said the project will “facilitate the development of downstream industries in Oman that will convert polyethylene to end products in Oman thus enhancing the level of job creation that will result from the complex”.

Dow president and chief operating officer Andrew Liveris called the project “a tremendous opportunity which provides significant access to cost competitive feedstock to supply the fast growing market of Asia.”

The group is already a partner in the Equate olefins and polyethylene complex in Kuwait, which is now entering its second phase, as well as in the Equipolymers joint venture in PET, also with a Kuwaiti partner.