Aramco and Baker Hughes announced the formation of Novel, a 50/50 Joint Venture (JV) to develop and commercialize a broad range of non-metallic products for multiple applications in the energy sector. A ceremony was held at the project site to commence construction, which was attended by Aramco's Senior Vice President for Technical Services Ahmad Al Sa'adi and Baker Hughes Chairman and CEO Lorenzo Simonelli. The ceremony comes after both companies signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) to create a non-metallics JV in July 2019.

Novel's new facility is being developed at King Salman Energy Park (SPARK), in Saudi Arabia's Eastern Province. SPARK is a 50-square-kilometer energy city megaproject which will position Saudi Arabia as a global energy, industrial and technology hub. Initially, the facility will produce onshore non-metallic pipelines including reinforced thermoplastic pipes (RTP) from composite materials.

The JV is based on a shareholders agreement signed in February this year during Aramco's 5th In-Kingdom Total Value Add (IKTVA) Forum & Exhibition. The JV aligns with Aramco's strategy to seek new opportunities in oil-based products, which not only offer performance benefits but also aims to reduce carbon emissions. It also supports Saudi Arabia's efforts to expand its commercial ecosystem and promote domestic investment.

The new facility will not only create jobs, it will also help foster growth of an emerging and innovative sector in alignment with Saudi Arabia's Vision 2030.