By OGJ editors
HOUSTON, Aug. 27 -- State-owned Qatar Petroleum plans to build a grassroots refinery with 250,000 b/d capacity and other associated facilities in Messaieed, Qatar. QP has let a lump sum front-end engineering design contract to Technip for the work.
The $60 million contract covers the Al Shaheen facility and an oil pipeline that will extend from Al Shaheen oil and gas field 90 km offshore to Messaieed 110 km onshore, as well as other import-export facilities. Technip's operations and engineering centers in Paris and Abu Dhabi will carry out the contract work.
The refinery, which will produce mainly gasoline, diesel, and jet fuel, will incorporate some of the most technologically advanced conversion units for upgrading bottom of the barrel products. The facilities are scheduled to be operational by yearend 2011.
Qatar currently has just one refinery at Umm Said. It has a capacity of 200,000 b/cd and is operated by National Oil Distribution Co.
Qatar's crude production capacity is expected to increase to 1.1 million b/d by late 2008. The increase will come from expansion of Al-Shaheen oil field. A development effort in progress in Al Shaheen field will raise the field's oil production to 525,000 b/d from 240,000 b/d (OGJ Online, Mar. 26, 2007, Newsletter).
