PetroRabigh IPO offers insights into Saudi Aramco

London

THE refinery two hours by car north of Mecca is easily overlooked in the Saudi Aramco colossus. But it offers a bonus: a window into one of the world's most secretive businesses.

Since the Saudi state-owned oil giant sold shares in Rabigh Refining and Petrochemical Co in 2008, the facility has provided a peek into a small corner of its operations. With few other clues available as Saudi Arabia prepares a massive initial public offering of as much as 5 per cent of Aramco for next year, investors are scrutinising the refinery for insights into the parent company itself.