Borouge to hike up ethylene capacity at Ruwais

Abu Dhabi-based polymers firm Borouge has said it plans to award the engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) contract for the expansion of its EU2 ethane cracker in Al Ruwais later this year.

According to a news report by Zawya, the company said Front-End Engineering Design (FEED) services for the EU2 expansion have now been completed, marking a key step towards project execution.

Borouge previously said the EU2 expansion would increase total olefin and polyolefin production capacity by around 230,000 tonnes/year.

In parallel, the company has completed a feasibility study for the expansion of its third ethane cracker (EU3) and is advancing pre-FEED activities, signalling further potential capacity growth at its Ruwais complex.

Progress is also continuing across the Borouge 4 mega project. Commissioning activities for XLPE 2, the first facility under Borouge 4, began at the end of 2025 and the plant is expected to be ready for start-up from the first quarter of 2026.

Designed to produce highly specialised wire and cable solutions, the XLPE 2 facility will use resin feedstock from the Borouge 3 (B3) plant in Ruwais to manufacture high-purity cross-linked polyethylene (XLPE) for high-value applications.

Commissioning of the remaining Borouge 4 plants is expected to continue through 2026. Once fully operational, the Borouge 4 project will add 1.4 million tonnes of annual capacity, significantly enhancing the company’s earnings potential and global market reach.