Qatargas completes pipeline facilities, initiates gas supply to Ras Laffan Power Co.

April 24, 2003
Qatar Liquefied Gas Co. (Qatargas) has begun initial, temporary shipments of 150 MMscfd of sweet natural gas to the Ras Laffan Power Co. at Ras Laffan, Qatar, where four gas turbines will begin electric power generation next month.

By OGJ editors

HOUSTON, Apr. 23 -- Qatar Liquefied Gas Co. (Qatargas) has begun initial, temporary shipments of 150 MMscfd of sweet natural gas to the Ras Laffan Power Co. at Ras Laffan, Qatar, where four gas turbines will begin electric power generation next month.

Qatargas completed work earlier this year on 1.4 km of 8-in. and 10-in. pipes, flow meters, control valves, and emergency shutdown valves, which will enable the supply of the volumes—about 85% of the plant's requirements.

Two steam turbines will be commissioned early next year at the plant where total power capability will be 750 Mw.

The plant also will produce 30 million gal of desalinated water daily starting next year—about 60 times the current water consumption of the Al Khor Community.

The Al Khaleej Gas Project (AKG-1), which will be built in conjunction with the RasGas expansion project (OGJ Online, Apr. 8, 2003), will supply gas to the new power plant on a permanent basis when it is completed in fourth quarter 2005.

Qatargas said the country's power consumption already is approaching maximum generation capacity, requiring the power plant to be operational before commissioning AKG-1.

Petroserv SA, which began site construction in July 2002, was awarded the engineering, procurement, installation and commissioning (EPIC) contract in November 2001.