In support of Saudi Arabia’s ongoing efforts toward economic diversification and localization initiatives, Honeywell UOP and King Fahd University of Petroleum & Minerals (KFUPM) have recently unveiled the details of their successful partnership to develop innovative new catalytic processes for petrochemicals production.
Scientists from Honeywell UOP have been working with professors and researchers from KFUPM in Dhahran since 2011 on new catalytic processes for producing paraxylene, an aromatic compound used in making textiles, packaging material and containers.
The new processes allow refiners and aromatics producers to efficiently use a wider range of available feedstocks while increasing paraxylene production. The work is being done at a state-of-the-art Honeywell UOP research and development (R&D) laboratory at KFUPM that includes a catalyst testing and screening pilot plant.
“Honeywell UOP has been driving technology innovation in the Kingdom for more than 60 years, and this collaboration with KFUPM shows our commitment to fostering localized technology development in the Kingdom,” said Jim Moshi, Honeywell UOP’s Middle East general manager. “Increased paraxylene production is a great opportunity for the Kingdom to diversify its economy through clusters of industrial sites, significantly expanding its downstream industries and capabilities, and it is a great honor to work so closely with KFUPM.”
“The King Fahd University of Petroleum & Minerals (KFUPM) is a leading educational and research institution for science and technology, with significant experience in petroleum refining and petrochemicals,” said Dr. Sulaiman Al-Khattaf, Director of KFUPM Center for Refining & Petrochemicals. “KFUPM is recognized for solving critical scientific and technical problems as well as working on turning knowledge into practice.