<article><p class="lead">Saudi state-controlled Aramco said today it is running the 400,000 b/d Jizan refinery at 50pc of capacity as it works through the final commissioning phase.</p><p>The announcement, in the company's internal <i>Arabian Sun</i> publication, offers a rare glimpse at Jizan's operations.</p><p>The integrated refinery located on Saudi Arabia's southwest Red Sea coast is one of the country's most complex, producing low-sulphur fuels, petrochemicals from naphtha as well as housing gasification and power facilities. It began tests in January after an eight-year build, having been planed for start-up in 2018.</p><p>Operations could ramp up quickly in 2022, now Aramco and its partners have reached financial close on $7.2bn worth of debt, completing their takeover of <a href="https://direct.argusmedia.com/newsandanalysis/article/2268133">Jizan's integrated gasification combined cycle plant</a> (IGCC). The facility will heat vacuum residue from the refinery to produce syngas for a 3.8GW power plant, producing electricity for the refinery and the national grid.</p><p>The IGCC, operated by a joint venture of Acwa Power (25pc), Aramco (20pc) and Air Products Qudra (9pc), is in the process of testing to supply power, steam, hydrogen, and other facilities for the refinery.</p><p>When fully operational, the Jizan complex will process Arabian Heavy and Medium crudes to produce up to 75,000 b/d of gasoline, 250,000 b/d of ultra-low sulfur gasoil and 90,000 b/d of vacuum residue for the power plant.</p><p class="bylines">By Adal Mirza</p></article>
