Amin Nasser, Aramco's chief executive officer, said in an interview that the company is still in the early stages of talks and a deal is not certain. "A potential Sabic deal would affect the time frame for Saudi Aramco's initial public offering," Mr Nasser told Arabiya television in an interview airing Friday. A stake in a chemical company like Sabic makes Aramco less vulnerable to volatile oil prices, and would be positive for its revenue, Mr Nasser told Arabiya. The remarks raise the spectre of further delay for an IPO that could raise as much as $100 billion.