Saudi Kayan Petrochemical Company, an affiliate of Saudi Basic Industries Corporation (Sabic), has awarded a design contract to Pasadena, California-based Jacobs Engineering Group Inc.

A statement Wednesday said the contract is for the development of a process design package (PDP) and front end engineering design (FEED) package for the build of an ultra-high-molecular-weight polyethylene (UHMWPE) plant in Jubail.

Officials did not disclose the value of the contract that will be executed from Jacobs’ Winnersh, UK and Al-Khobar offices.

UHMWPE is used in many industrial applications including batteries and industrial fibers. The plant is to have a production capacity of 35,000 tons per year using ethylene sourced from Kayan’s existing olefins plant and is of significant strategic importance as Sabic is to use its own technology.

Sabic ranks among the world’s top petrochemical companies and is a market leader in the production of polyethylene, polypropylene and other advanced thermoplastics, glycols, methanol and fertilizers.

Jacobs Group Vice President Bob Irvin said "we are delighted to have been awarded this high profile project, which we take to be both a statement of our client’s confidence in our ability to deliver strategic projects of this nature and the commencement of what we hope will be a significant and long-term relationship with Sabic that will drive mutual benefits to our businesses and build upon our presence and future capability in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia." Jacobs is one of the world’s largest and most diverse providers of technical, professional and construction services.