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L’essor de l’industrie pétrochimique en Arabie Saoudite
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Abstract
Eight giant petrochemical joint ventures will come on stream in Saudi Arabia between 1983 and 1985, reaching full capacity by 1987. While the equity for these complexes will be at least 12billion,theywillbenefitfromverycheapfeedstockmakingthemhighlycompetitive.Withtheforeignpartnersintheventuresmarketingmuchoftheoutputabroadandwithagrowingdomesticdemand,thereshouldbelittledifficultywithsales.InanyeventSaudiArabiacanlinkthesaleofpetrochemicalswiththeavailabilityofcrudeoil.Are−structuringoftheworldproductionofpetrochemicalsisvirtuallyinevitable,withSaudiArabiaandothercountrieswithcheapfeedstockproducingbulkpetrochemicalswhilethemoreindustrializedcountriesconcentrateonspecialtypetrochemicalswithagreatervalue−added.Quebec,withpetrochemicalsagrowthsector,iswellplacedtotakeadvantageofthesechanges.SaudiArabia,whichnormallyrunsasubstantialtradesurpluseswithQuebec—some360 million in 1981—might well opt to invest part of theses surpluses in a petrochemical industry in Quebec.