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Aramco to buy stake in JV Petro Rabigh from Sumitomo Chem

Saudi Aramco will buy from Japan's Sumitomo Chemical a 22.5% stake in their petrochemical joint venture Petro Rabigh for $702. million, the business said on Wednesday, describing a turnaround. technique for the lossmaking company.

Under the deal, Aramco and Sumitomo Chemical will each. offer $702 million in funding to Petro Rabigh and. waive loans worth an overall $1.5 billion, the declaration stated.

Petro Rabigh had actually accumulated losses amounting to 8.871 billion. riyals ($ 2.36 billion) by the end of June, which was equivalent. to over 53% of its share capital, it said on Wednesday.

The Aramco-Sumitomo offer explores a therapeutic strategy as Petro. Rabigh seeks to comply with Saudi law, which says that if a. joint-stock business's losses are half its released capital, it. should announce them and make suggestions within 60 days.

An amazing general assembly conference should likewise be. called within 180 days to either take steps to solve the. losses or liquify the business.

Petro Rabigh's board was notified of the collected losses. on Tuesday, it said in a filing on its second-quarter outcomes.

The losses were primarily due to undesirable market conditions. which resulted in lower or unfavorable margins of the refined and. petrochemical items and higher financing expenses due to an. increase in interest rates, the business stated.

The deal shrinks Sumitomo Chemical's stake in the joint. venture to 15% while increasing Aramco's share to 60%.

The sale aligns with Aramco's downstream growth and. Sumitomo Chemical's relocation away from commodity chemicals toward. speciality chemicals, they added.

Sumitomo Chemical plans to book a pre-tax loss of 27 billion. yen ($ 183 million) in the July-September quarter as an outcome of. the offer, the business stated in a different declaration, including that. it is staying with its yearly revenue projection it revealed in. April.

(source: Reuters)