JEDDAH: Saudi Arabia’s blended petroleum products will now be available in Sudan and later in certain other markets in the region, with the signing of a multimillion-riyal open-ended deal between Jeddah-based Arabian Petroleum Supply Co. (APSCO) and a subsidiary of Malaysia-based PETRONAS here on Sunday.

“The deal comes into effect on Nov. 1, with the first shipment of 200 tons of blended petroleum products heading for Port Sudan,” Khalid S. Al-Tayeb, director, lubes and specialties at the APSCO, told reporters during the signing ceremony at its office in Jeddah Industrial City.

APSCO, which was founded in 1961 by the Alireza family, has the license to blend and market all Mobil and ESSO products, he added. Mobil has since become Exxon Mobil.

APSCO has already been blending products for several multinational companies including some automobile giants, he said, adding that the blended products are also being used by marine and aviation sectors. Certain lubricants are being used by heavy industries including cement and power generation, aside from agriculture.

Al-Tayeb said APSCO’s products were being exported to 20 countries across the Middle East and Africa.

“We feel we have selected the best blending plant in the region that has the highest level of quality control, logistics, customer service and response, and above all its cost-effective products,” said Abdel Mutaal M. Osman, GM and CEO of Khartoum-based PETRONAS Marketing Sudan Ltd., a subsidiary of PETRONAS Malaysia.

He added that Sudan’s economy is gaining in strength despite the worldwide economic slowdown. ¬