Saudi Arabia is seeking to invest more in projects around the world that turn oil into chemicals as it looks to lock in buyers for its crude.
The kingdom is already in talks to buy stakes in companies in China and the state-run Saudi Aramco has said it wants more deals this year and the next. Investing in plants that produce chemicals — which Riyadh sees as a driver of growth of future oil demand — as a way to ensure it has a ready market for its vast crude supply.