Planning council reviews economic progress, Saudi Vision achievements

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Updated 12 September 2024
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Planning council reviews economic progress, Saudi Vision achievements

RIYADH: Saudi Arabia’s top council on economic affairs reviewed a number of reports during a virtual meeting held on Wednesday, the Saudi Press Agency reported.

The Council of Economic and Development Affairs studied a financial report for the second quarter of 2024 in a presentation by the Ministry of Economy and Planning.

The report included an analysis of the global economy, financial markets, and updates on the nation’s fiscal situation and its key indicators.

There was a 4.9% year-on-year growth in the non-oil sector during Q2 and a stabilization of general inflation rates at 1.5% in July.

The report indicated the strength of Saudi Arabia’s economy and the effectiveness of the measure taken to deal with global economic changes.

The ministry’s presentation also touched on future projects for the national economy and important reports from international and local bodies related to it.

The members also reviewed a presentation by the council’s own Strategic Management Office on the Saudi Vision report for Q1 of 2024. The report highlighted the key achievements of the Vision’s programs, strategic goals, and evaluation of their performance.

The Vision report noted that 2024 had begun with significant progress across all three pillars of the program, namely, a vibrant society, a thriving economy, and an ambitious nation.

The council also reviewed the Saudi Public Investment Fund’s annual report for 2023, traffic safety report for 2023, and a report on the social support subsidy system.


Saudi Aramco, ExxonMobil, Samref ink deal to study Yanbu refinery upgrade

Updated 08 December 2025
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Saudi Aramco, ExxonMobil, Samref ink deal to study Yanbu refinery upgrade

RIYADH: Energy giants Saudi Aramco, ExxonMobil, and Samref have signed a venture framework agreement to upgrade the Yanbu refinery and expand it into an integrated petrochemical complex.

As a part of the deal, the companies will explore capital investments to upgrade and diversify production, including high-quality distillates that result in lower emissions and high-performance chemicals, according to a joint press statement.

The agreement will also see the parties explore opportunities to improve the refinery’s energy efficiency and reduce environmental impacts from operations through an integrated emissions-reduction strategy.

Samref is an equally owned joint venture between Aramco and Mobil Yanbu Refining Co. Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Exxon Mobil Corp.

The refinery currently has the capacity to process more than 400,000 barrels of crude oil per day, producing a diverse range of energy products, including propane, automotive diesel oil, marine heavy fuel oil, and sulfur.

“This next phase of Samref marks a step in our long-term strategic collaboration with ExxonMobil. Designed to increase the conversion of crude oil and petroleum liquids into high-value chemicals, this project reinforces our commitment to advancing Downstream value creation and our liquids-to-chemicals strategy,” said Aramco Downstream President, Mohammed Y. Al Qahtani.

He added that the deal will help position Samref as a key driver of the Kingdom’s petrochemical sector’s growth.

The press statement further said that companies will commence a preliminary front-end engineering and design phase for the proposed project, which would aim to maximize operational advantages, enhance Samref’s competitiveness, and help to meet growing demand for high-quality petrochemical products in Saudi Arabia.

The firms added that these plans are subject to market conditions, regulatory approvals, and final investment decisions by Aramco and ExxonMobil.

“We value our partnership with Aramco and our long history in Saudi Arabia. We look forward to evaluating this project, which aligns with our strategy to focus on investments that allow us to grow high-value products that meet society’s evolving energy needs and contribute to a lower-emission future,” said Jack Williams, senior vice president of Exxon Mobil Corp.