Qatar’s Condensate Refinery Start-Up Delayed To 3Q09
Qatar’s new 146,000 b/d condensate refinery at Ras Laffan has been further delayed and now start-up has been rescheduled for the third quarter of next year, a Qatar-based source tells MEES. The refinery had originally been due to come on stream this August before being rescheduled to the end of the year (MEES, 7 April). However, timing has been hit by both material and manpower shortages. “What we are seeing is that skills shortages have meant that the standard of work from the ordinary worker has been deteriorating, so typically the percentage of work by say your ordinary welder that is not up to scratch, and has to be redone, so the cost has gone up. And this has really affected the project,” the source said. Meanwhile, state-owned QP has had the front end engineering and design on its planned 250,000 b/d refinery at Mesaieed completed, and is looking to award construction contracts by year end. The company is still aiming for 2013 start-up on the Mesaieed project.
Copyright MEES 2008.
