After recently exporting its first high-quality diesel fuel, YASREF reached another milestone last week by loading 49,000 tons of petcoke. The loading was based on a fully automated process starting from processing and production through to shipping from the newly equipped Pier No. 69 in Yanbu’ Industrial City. Marking the occasion, Mohammad S. Al-Shammari, YASREF president and CEO, said: “Having applied the highest safety standards today, we exported the first petcoke shipment from the Red Sea coast based on a fully automated process across production stages through export under the world’s strictest specifications and standards.” Al-Shammari emphasized the value of petcoke. “The petcoke is of great importance since it is derived from Arabian crude, increasing the added value of this type of petroleum, which contains more energy and less ash, making it the optimal industrial fuel for power generation in many industries targeting lower operating costs and higher production capacity at the same time,” he said. “Furthermore, the petcoke production from the Arabian oil comes in line with Saudi Aramco’s strategy to make the most of its oil resources to promote Saudi industries, maximize their effectiveness in national development and meet the global market needs, apart from achieving the objectives of its strategic partners in creating added value for all products.” YASREF is a joint venture between Saudi Aramco and China Petrochemical Corporation (Sinopec), with Saudi Aramco retaining a 62.5 percent equity share and Sinopec retaining a 37.5 percent equity share. The refinery construction was completed ahead of schedule and within budget to become one of the world’s largest and most sophisticated refineries. YASREF is a full conversion refinery with a refining capacity of 400,000 bpd of Arabian Heavy crude oil, which is fully converted to pure and high quality petroleum products, such as gasoline, diesel, benzene, granular sulfur, and petroleum coke.