The start-up date of the EG unit was brought forward, as its upstream 1.35m tonne/year cracker had already achieved on-spec production following its start-up on 26 July, the source said.

The new plant will have a nameplate EG capacity of 650,000 tonnes/year and its output would comprise of 90% monoethylene glycol (MEG), 9% diethylene glycol (DEG) and 1% triethylene glycol (TEG), he added.

The new capacity from the plant’s start-up was expected to exert downward pressure on domestic MEG prices, as a majority of Saudi Kayan’s output was targeted at the Chinese market, said a major producer based in China.