Doha - Qatar, 18 August 2011: The Qatargas-operated Laffan Refinery Company Limited has awarded a lump sum Front End Engineering Design (FEED) Contract for the Refinery's Phase 2 expansion to Technip.  Phase 2 will increase the current refinery capacity to enable Qatar to meet all of its Naphtha, Diesel, LPG and Kerojet requirements.

The FEED study is scheduled to be completed by the first quarter of 2012 and will be executed by Technip engineering center in Paris, France. The Engineering, Procurement and Construction (EPC) contract is expected to be awarded by the third quarter of 2012.

Commenting on this important milestone, Khalid Bin Khalifa Al-Thani, Qatargas CEO and Vice- Chairman of Laffan Refinery Co, states:

"The second phase of Laffan refinery supports the State of Qatar vision to improve product distribution domestically and fully complies with international customers' demands for cleaner fuel products allowing Qatar to become a net exporter of diesel and other refined products, instead of an importer. Qatar's target is to supply markets across Southeast Asia and Europe emphasizing on these commercially valuable products for their petrochemical industry."

Laffan Refinery Venture Manager Eng. Salman Ashkanani, adds:

"The new expansion project will double the existing capacity of the Laffan Refinery to 292,000 BPSD (barrels per stream day) and the facility will be fully operational by the first Quarter of 2016, playing a central role in Qatar's new energy mix and its 2030 vision."

Mr. Ashkanani explained that environmental issues would be given the highest priority throughout project execution. The new facility will be designed to meet Qatar Regulatory requirements as embodied in the environmental policy and international environmental standards. This refinery will be designed for zero flaring during normal operations. Laffan Refinery consists of such major units as Utility systems, Distillation units, Naphtha and Kerosene hydrotreaters, Hydrogen unit and Saturation gas plant. 

-Ends-

About Qatargas:
Established in 1984, Qatargas pioneered the LNG industry in Qatar. Today Qatargas is the largest LNG producer in the world with a production capacity of 42 million tonnes per annum of LNG, from its seven trains - delivering LNG safely and reliably to it customers in all four corners of the world from it's first class facilities in Qatar. This makes Qatargas the largest LNG producing company in the world. Qatargas has seven LNG trains, of which four are the largest in the world - known as mega trains - each with a production capacity of 7.8 mta.  The Qatargas vision is, by 2015 to be the world's premier LNG Company, known for its people, innovation, operating excellence, environmental responsibility and corporate citizenship.

About Laffan Refinery:
Laffan Refinery is Qatar's first condensate refinery which started production in September 2009.  Currently, the refinery has a processing capacity of 146,000 barrels per stream day (bpsd) and utilizes the field condensate produced from the Qatargas and RasGas facilities.  It consists of process units including utility systems, distillation units, naphtha and kerosene hydrotreaters, a hydrogen unit and a saturated gas plant producing naphtha, kerojet, gasoil and liquefied petroleum gas (LPG). The refinery's production capacity includes 62,000 bpsd of naphtha, 52,000 bpsd of kerojet, 24,000 bpsd of gasoil, and 8,000 bpsd of LPG.

Contact details:
Lynda James,
lyjames@qatargas.com.qa,
Ph +974 7799 66 35  

Thajudeen Aliar,
taliar@qatargas.com.qa,
Ph +974 3340 64 74.

© Press Release 2011