Fluor Corporation has been awarded the front-end engineering and design (FEED) contract by Gulf Petrochemical Industries Company (GPIC) for a new aromatics production facility in Bahrain. The project marks an important step in expanding the country’s petrochemical manufacturing capabilities and supporting the long-term growth of its industrial sector.
The proposed facility will be built at GPIC’s existing integrated petrochemical complex in Sitra, which currently manufactures ammonia, urea and methanol. The addition of the new aromatics plant will diversify the site’s product portfolio and strengthen its position as a key manufacturing hub in the region.
Under the contract, Fluor will provide front-end engineering and design services, laying the technical foundation for the development of the new facility. The FEED phase will define the project’s engineering scope, technology integration, cost estimates and execution strategy before construction begins.
The plant will use commercially proven process technologies to manufacture around 1.2 million metric tonnes of paraxylene and 0.5 million metric tonnes of benzene annually. These products are among the most important feedstocks used in the global petrochemical industry.
Paraxylene is a key raw material for producing purified terephthalic acid (PTA), which is widely used in the manufacture of polyester fibres, plastic bottles and packaging materials. Benzene is an essential building block for a broad range of industrial and consumer products, including plastics, synthetic rubber, detergents, pharmaceuticals and specialty chemicals.
The new investment is expected to support growing international demand for high-performance materials used across industries such as packaging, textiles, automotive, construction and consumer goods. It will also strengthen Bahrain’s downstream petrochemical value chain by expanding local production of high-value chemical products.
Pierre Bechelany, Business Group President of Energy Solutions at Fluor Corporation, said the contract reflects GPIC’s confidence in Fluor’s ability to execute complex petrochemical projects while maintaining high engineering standards and delivering reliable project outcomes.He said Fluor is committed to working closely with GPIC throughout the FEED phase to help advance one of Bahrain’s important industrial development projects and support the Kingdom’s long-term economic diversification plans.
The project is expected to enhance GPIC’s manufacturing capabilities while creating opportunities for future downstream investments linked to aromatics production. By adding paraxylene and benzene manufacturing to its existing operations, the company aims to strengthen its competitiveness in regional and global petrochemical markets.
Fluor brings extensive international experience in delivering engineering, procurement and project management services for large-scale energy and petrochemical projects. The company has supported the development of numerous refining, chemicals and industrial facilities worldwide.
