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S-Oil
S-Oil, majority-owned by Saudi Aramco, operates a 669,000 bpd refining complex in Ulsan and is pivoting to petrochemicals via the $7B Shaheen project.
S-Oil
S-Oil Corporation is a Seoul-based corporate investor with approximately $17.1 billion in assets across 2 funds. It focuses on investments in Asia.
General information
Firm type
Corporate Investor
Year founded
1976
Location
Region
Asia
Country
South Korea
City
Seoul
Corporate office
192, Baekbeom-ro, Mapo-gu, Seoul, South Korea
Additional offices
Ulsan, South Korea
Sector focus
Frequently asked questions
Who is the controlling shareholder of S-Oil?
Saudi Aramco holds a 63.45% stake through Aramco Overseas Company B.V., a subsidiary registered in the Netherlands. The remaining shares trade on the Korea Exchange, where the firm is listed. TotalEnergies also maintains a minority joint-venture position in the S-OIL TotalEnergies Lubricants subsidiary.
What is the Shaheen project and what does it signal for S-Oil's strategy?
Shaheen is a planned steam cracker and petrochemical complex in Ulsan, announced with a projected cost of approximately $7 billion (per Reuters, 2022). It targets 3.2 million tons of annual petrochemical feedstock production, primarily ethylene and propylene, with start-up expected in 2026. The project represents S-Oil's deepest shift from fuel refining toward integrated chemicals, aligning with Aramco's global liquids-to-chemicals push.
How does S-Oil source its crude feedstock?
Saudi Aramco supplies the majority of crude processed at the Onsan Refinery under long-term offtake arrangements tied to the parent's equity stake. This creates a structurally captive supply chain: Aramco ships Saudi crude grades — primarily Arab Light and Arab Extra Light — directly to Ulsan, giving S-Oil a feedstock-cost advantage over Korean peers reliant on open-market procurement.
What is the firm's relationship with TotalEnergies?
TotalEnergies is a joint-venture partner in S-OIL TotalEnergies Lubricants, a subsidiary that produces base oils and finished lubricants. Total holds a minority stake in that venture; the ownership split is distinct from Aramco's majority holding at the parent level. The lubricant JV was formalized in 2008 and markets products across Asia-Pacific.
What physical real assets does S-Oil hold beyond the Onsan Refinery?
Beyond Onsan, the firm owns the Incheon Oil Depot for product storage and distribution, the S-Oil TS&D Center in Seoul for technical development, and the S-Oil Head Office Building in Mapo-gu, Seoul — a commercial real estate asset on the corporate balance sheet. The combined physical infrastructure supports both domestic distribution and export logistics.
Profile maintained by Altss using OSINT (open-source intelligence), regulatory filings, licensed data partners, and verified direct submissions. Read the methodology. Last updated: . Continuous refresh with full update cycles at least every 30 days.
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