DOHA: The last major structural concrete for the giant Pearl Gas to Liquids (GTL) project in Ras Laffan Industrial City has been poured, Qatar Shell said yesterday in a news release. Enough structural concrete has now been poured on the Pearl GTL site to build two Burj Khalifas or eight Wembley Stadiums, the company said.
The last major structural concrete was poured at a height of 22 metres and completed a piperack in the heart of the second train of the huge plant.
Pearl GTL is under development by Qatar Petroleum (QP) and Shell. Major construction is expected to be complete by the end of 2010 with production ramp-up during 2011.
Concrete for the Pearl GTL project has been supplied from a single dedicated batch plant onsite operated by Rabban Medgulf. Over 722,000 cubic meters of concrete has been mixed by the batch plant, at peak of the production - enough to lay concrete a meter thick each month over an area the size of City Centre Mall in Doha.
Concrete has been poured using concrete pumps, each capable of lifting 50 cubic meters of concrete per hour to heights up to 30 meters.
Andy Brown, Shell's Executive Vice President, said: "Pearl GTL is so large that every part of the project is a major undertaking. The structural concrete requirements were significant. I am pleased that we have reached this milestone and look forward to successfully reaching many more over the coming months."
"I would like to congratulate Rabban Medgulf, who have delivered this concrete reliably and safely to all of our contractors."
Ivan Morgan, a Director of the Rabban Medgulf JV, said that this is one of the largest jobs that the company has ever been involved with. "I would like to thank the whole team for working tirelessly to ensure that we delivered this huge volume of concrete successfully in line with our client's requirements," he said.
The Pearl GTL construction site is the largest in the oil and gas industry worldwide today, and is the same size as Hyde Park and Kensington Gardens in London.
Pearl GTL is the largest energy project ever launched in the State of Qatar. It will produce liquid fuels, base oils for lubricants and chemical feedstock from natural gas, opening new markets for Qatar's natural resources. It will also produce significant quantities of natural gas liquids and ethane.
© The Peninsula 2010
