Saudi Aramco Total Refinery and Petrochemicals Company (SATORP) expects to start up its new Jubail refinery in Saudi Arabia in December 2013, the chief executive of the joint venture said on Tuesday.

"Overall Engineering, Procurement and Construction work at the refinery is 68 per cent complete," Fawwaz Nawwab, CEO of SATORP, told reporters.

"The refinery is designed for 400,000 barrels per day (bpd), but the commitment with Aramco is for 440,000 bpd."

State-run Saudi Aramco and France's Total are building the refinery at Jubail as part of a drive by the world's top oil exporter to almost double its refining capacity.