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Borouge 4, one of the UAE’s largest industrial projects, surpasses 50% completion milestone

Facility will make Borouge the world’s largest single-site polyolefin complex

Borouge, a leading petrochemical company that provides innovative and differentiated polyolefin solutions, on Monday announced that the Borouge 4 project, one of the largest industrial projects underway in the UAE, is over 50 per cent complete.

During a recent visit to the site by Dr Sultan Al Jaber, Minister of Industry and Advanced Technology, Adnoc managing director and group CEO, and chairman of Borouge, he witnessed the strong construction progress including the installation of the world’s largest, first-ever UAE built Borstar gas phase reactor.

The project, being built by Borouge on behalf of the project’s owners, Adnoc and Borealis, will boost Borouge’s production capacity by nearly a third. It will also enhance the company’s production facilities at Al Ruwais Industrial City, making it the world’s largest single-site polyolefin complex.

By increasing Borouge’s production capacity by 1.4 million tonnes a year to a total of 6.4 million tonnes, the plant will enable Borouge to rapidly increase global sales of its innovative and differentiated polyolefins solutions. The company supplies vital materials for critical sectors such as energy, infrastructure, and agriculture, and its solutions are increasingly deployed in major renewable energy projects.

The project continues to progress as scheduled and remains on track to be completed by the end of 2025. Upon completion, the project will be transferred to Borouge from its majority shareholders, Adnoc and Borealis.

Hazeem Sultan Al Suwaidi, chief executive officer of Borouge Plc, commented: “This project is of significant importance to both Borouge and the development of the UAE’s industrial sector. The project, which is over halfway completed, will not only boost our production capacity, and mark our facilities at Al Ruwais Industrial City in Al Dhannah as the largest single-site polyolefin complex but also enhance our ability to deliver product innovation and value to customers across the high-growth markets we serve. As one of the UAE’s largest industrial projects, it is already delivering significant economic impact, with considerable orders placed with UAE manufacturers and a strong target ICV score. As Borouge plays its part in driving ‘Make it in the Emirates’, the project has emerged as a pivotal catalyst for the UAE’s industrial growth, while also supporting the nation’s initiatives towards decarbonisation and energy efficiency.”

Sultan Zaid Al Shehhi, Borouge 4 project director, added: “A project of this scale speaks to the strength of the UAE’s industrial sector and Borouge’s ability to collaborate with partners across the value chain. We have worked closely with manufacturers and suppliers, both large and small, from across the UAE, to boost ICV and fast-track the delivery of this strategic growth project. The project, which will require over 100 million manhours to deliver, remains on track to be completed by the end of 2025 – a testament to Borouge’s excellence in execution capabilities. Moreover, with over 20,000 people on site at peak time, we have maintained our resolute focus on health and safety without compromising on quality of execution and speed of delivery thanks to the collective efforts of the Borouge project team and its contractors.”

Stimulating industry and generating value for the UAE

Spanning an area of over 3.4 million square metres – equivalent to 500 football pitches – with over 7,500 kilometres of cables to be laid, 340,000 cubic metres of concrete and 77,500 tonnes of structural steel to be used, the project has made strong progress since its groundbreaking in early 2022. The electrical cables powering the plant, and the high-density polyethylene (HDPE) piping used are directly sourced and manufactured from Borouge’s polyethylene material, which is entirely produced in the UAE.

As one of the world’s biggest ongoing industrial construction projects, Borouge 4 is stimulating the UAE’s manufacturing sector. It serves as a significant contributor to the UAE’s In-Country Value (ICV) programme, targeting an ICV score of 63 per cent. The project has already delivered substantial economic benefits by awarding purchase orders totalling over $600 million to companies within the country.

The plant is driving job creation with over 20,000 people on site and over 100 million manhours projected to be undertaken to complete construction work. UAE national professionals, who make up 46 per cent of Borouge project’s employees, are playing a crucial role in delivering this multi-billion-dollar strategic growth project.

In the past week, the project achieved a significant milestone by completing the on-site installation of the world’s largest Borealis Borstar® gas phase reactor. Weighing over 500 tonnes each, these represent the first-ever UAE-built reactors of their kind, underscoring the country’s industrial development and capabilities, showcasing the superior technology being used throughout the project, and contributing to the ICV that the project has been able to deliver.

Delivering operational, commercial and sustainable impact

Borouge strategically serves major key markets, including China and India, which together account for approximately 65 per cent of the global petrochemicals consumption and a substantial 80 per cent of projected growth in this industry. As a significant exporter, the project will enable Borouge’s further commercial success, enhance its ability to produce innovative solutions and bolster its competitiveness in the global petrochemicals industry.