Thursday, Apr 05, 2012

Gulf News

Abu Dhabi: A $10 billion (Dh36.78 billion) gas project in Abu Dhabis Western Region will help meet soaring demand in the UAE capital, a top company official said yesterday.

Saif Al Ghafli, CEO of Al Hosn Gas, told Gulf News that the Shah gas field development was one of the most ambitious sour gas projects ever commissioned and confirmed that it was on track for completion in 2014

The project will involve construction of several gas gathering systems, new gas and liquid pipelines, and processing trains. The development is expected to produce significant amounts of condensate and NGL [natural gas liquids], Al Ghafli said.

New technologies and techniques to improve processing capabilities and safety are needed all the time, he added.

The company earlier said that one of the challenges is that the gas in Shah has a high percentage of hydrogen sulphide approximately 23 per cent and 10 per cent carbon dioxide which makes it a very sour gas field.

Another challenge is that the field is located in a remote area south of Liwa and deep in the ground.

But Al Ghafli said that when completed, the field would help Abu Dhabi meet its rising demand for gas.

In the UAE, gas demand is rising, he said. The main issue is the supply of gas. As you know, Abu Dhabi has been getting its gas supplies through the Dolphin gas pipeline, which is set to continue.

With regard to the companys projected output figures from the Shah field, he said: By the time the company gets up and running, we will be producing and gathering some one billion cubic feet of gas per day.

Safety practices

Al Ghafli said the company has undertaken many measures to ensure health and safety.

Many things have been taken into account to ensure the safe operation of this facility when it is up and running, he added.

Al Ghafli said: The technical challenges present difficult scenarios surrounding the design of facilities and HSE compliance, and all require extremely strong observation and control management.

The project also brings together the latest technology to ensure Shah is not only a viable but also a safe project, Al Ghafli said.

The project will involve construction of several gas gathering systems, new gas and liquid pipelines, and processing trains. The development is expected to produce significant amounts of condensate?and NGL.

By Shehab Al Makahleh, Staff Reporter

Gulf News 2012. All rights reserved.