World’s largest gas plant opens in Ras Laffan

HH the Emir Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa al-Thani inaugurated the world’s largest liquefied natural gas project–Qatargas 2 at Ras Laffan yesterday.
The key components of the $13.2bn project are two of the world’s largest LNG trains (with 7.8mn tonnes per year (tpy) capacity each) and associated facilities at Ras Laffan, a fleet comprising 14 super LNG tankers and the regasification facility (terminal) at Wales in the United Kingdom.
Qatargas 2, whose production capacity is 15.6mn tpy, is the culmination of a historic project to create a “fully integrated value chain”. The LNG trains represent a 50% increase on any performance previously achieved in the global energy industry.
The project consists of three offshore unmanned platforms, two world class LNG trains, five storage tanks, two loading berths, a fleet of 14 state-of-the-art LNG ships and a receiving (South Hook) terminal in Milford Haven, Wales.
Qatargas 2 will send its first LNG shipment to the UK within three weeks. On an average, one LNG cargo will be sent from Ras Laffan to the South Hook Terminal every three days.
Some 40 new technologies and 3mn pounds of equipment and systems have been used in the completion of the project. Low emission technology and waste-heat recovery systems are incorporated to reduce emission levels. These innovations have made the Qatargas 2 trains extremely efficient.
Within a decade, Qatargas Operating Company has grown from a company with three trains producing 6mn tonnes of LNG per year with one primary customer, to a global leader in the industry supplying 42mn tonnes per year to markets on three continents.
About 2.9bn cubic feet of gas a day is required to produce 15.6mn tonnes of LNG a year from Qatargas 2. The LNG process involves four stages - offshore, onshore, shipping and distribution.
Qatargas 2 and its owners, Qatar Petroleum, ExxonMobil and Total, have achieved “several milestones” in the establishment of offshore and onshore facilities in Qatar and shipping and regasification facilities.
The Duke of York, Prince Andrew and HE the Deputy Premier Abdullah bin Hamad al-Attiyah, also the Minister of Energy and Industry, were among the dignitaries present at the inauguration.

Original Article from: Gulf Times