Dhahran, Saudi Arabia & Houston, USA, March 24, 2026 – Ketjen Corporation, a leader in catalyst and specialty chemicals innovation, and Saudi Aramco Technologies Company (SATC), a subsidiary of Aramco, have entered into a Joint Development Agreement (JDA) to co-develop, test, and deploy next-generation Fluid Catalytic Cracking (FCC) catalysts and additives. The collaboration is designed to help elevate the performance of Aramco’s refineries and affiliates by potentially optimizing product yields and reducing environmental impact.
This agreement brings together the technical expertise, research capabilities, and innovative ecosystems of both organizations. Through close collaboration, SATC and Ketjen will aim to help accelerate the development of proprietary FCC catalysts and additives. These advancements are expected to support enhancing refinery performance by increasing yield of high-value products such as gasoline and propylene, while helping to lower the environmental footprint of Aramco’s refining operations.
This strategic collaboration aims to combine Aramco’s decades of innovation in refining catalysts with Ketjen’s recognized expertise in FCC catalyst development, manufacturing excellence, and technical depth. By aligning Aramco’s operational insights with Ketjen’s cutting-edge R&D capabilities, the collaboration is expected to deliver precision-engineered solutions that enhance refinery performance, optimize resource utilization, and advance Aramco’s goals. Together, Ketjen and Aramco aim to set the stage for industry-defining advancements in efficiency, yield optimization, and environmental stewardship.
Bob Leliveld, Chief Technology Officer at Ketjen, said: “With decades of proven expertise in FCC catalyst innovation, Ketjen is proud to collaborate with a global energy leader like Aramco. This collaboration is expected to support the development of next-generation catalyst solutions, aligning with Aramco’s global operational strategies and setting a new standard for efficiency and performance across the industry.”
Faisal Al-Otaibi, Director of Aramco’s Research and Development Center, commented: “By co-developing next-generation catalysts and FCC solutions with Ketjen, we are not only optimizing processes but also setting a new benchmark for the industry. This partnership is expected to accelerate our ability to unlock molecular-level efficiency, reduce emissions, and convert raw materials into higher-value products. Our collaboration with Ketjen reflects our ongoing focus on continuous improvement and operational excellence.”
Through this joint initiative, both companies reaffirm their efforts to help advance the refining industry. The JDA reflects a shared vision to potentially deliver cutting-edge technologies that help meet the evolving demands of the energy sector and address global market challenges.
Disclaimer
The press release contains forward-looking statements. All statements other than statements relating to historical or current facts included in the press release are forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements give the Company’s current expectations and projections relating to its capital expenditures and investments, major projects, upstream and downstream performance, including relative to peers. These statements may include, without limitation, any statements preceded by, followed by or including words such as “target,” “believe,” “expect,” “aim,” “intend,” “goal,” “may,” “anticipate,” “estimate,” “plan,” “project,” “can have,” “likely,” “should,” “could,” and other words and terms of similar meaning or the negative thereof. Such forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other important factors beyond the Company’s control that could cause the Company’s actual results, performance or achievements to be materially different from the expected results, performance, or achievements expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements, including the following factors: global supply, demand and price fluctuations of oil, gas and petrochemicals; global economic conditions; competition in the industries in which Saudi Aramco operates; climate change concerns, weather conditions and related impacts on the global demand for hydrocarbons and hydrocarbon-based products; risks related to Saudi Aramco’s ability to successfully meet its ESG targets, including its failure to fully meet its GHG emissions reduction targets by 2050; conditions affecting the transportation of products; operational risk and hazards common in the oil and gas, refining and petrochemicals industries; the cyclical nature of the oil and gas, refining and petrochemicals industries; political and social instability and unrest and actual or potential armed conflicts in the MENA region and other areas; natural disasters and public health pandemics or epidemics; the management of Saudi Aramco’s growth; the management of the Company’s subsidiaries, joint operations, joint ventures, associates and entities in which it holds a minority interest; Saudi Aramco’s exposure to inflation, interest rate risk and foreign exchange risk; risks related to operating in a regulated industry and changes to oil, gas, environmental or other regulations that impact the industries in which Saudi Aramco operates; legal proceedings, international trade matters, and other disputes or agreements; and other risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ from the forward-looking statements in this press release, as set forth in the Company’s latest periodic reports filed with the Saudi Exchange. For additional information on the potential risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ from the results predicted please see the Company’s latest periodic reports filed with the Saudi Exchange. Such forward-looking statements are based on numerous assumptions regarding the Company’s present and future business strategies and the environment in which it will operate in the future. The information contained in the press release, including but not limited to forward-looking statements, applies only as of the date of this press release and is not intended to give any assurances as to future results. The Company expressly disclaims any obligation or undertaking to disseminate any updates or revisions to the press release, including any financial data or forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, unless required by applicable law or regulation. No person should construe the press release as financial, tax or investment advice. Undue reliance should not be placed on the forward-looking statements.