Qatargas
Encyclopedia
Qatargas is the world's largest liquefied natural gas
(LNG) company. It annually produces and supplies the globe with 42 million metric tons of LNG from across its four ventures (Qatargas 1, Qatargas 2, Qatargas3, and Qatargas 4). It is headquartered in Doha, Qatar
, and maintains its upstream assets in Ras Laffan, Qatar. Natural gas is supplied to Qatargas's LNG trains from Qatar's massive North Field, by far the world's largest non-associated gas field.
, ExxonMobil
, Total
, Mitsui
and Marubeni
. It owns three LNG train
s. In 2008, it produced 10.09 million tonnes of liquefied natural gas. The projected production for the end of 2012 is 42 million tonnes per annum (mtpa).
Qatargas II, a joint venture of Qatar Petroleum and ExxonMobil, owns LNG trains 4 and 5 with a capacity of 7.8 million tonnes per annum (mtpa) each. It is supplying LNG for the South Hook LNG terminal
at Milford Haven
, Pembrokeshire
, Wales
, from where gas is fed to the South Wales Gas Pipeline
. This covers 20% of the United Kingdom's needs of LNG.
Qatargas III is a joint venture between Qatar Petroleum, ConocoPhillips
and Mitsui. Qatargas IV is a joint venture between Qatar Petroleum and Royal Dutch Shell
. At first approached as separate projects, Qatargas III and IV are now being built by a joint asset development team that is staffed by Qatargas, ConocoPhillips and Shell employees as well as project direct hires and short term contractors. Its trains have started up by end 2010 (QG3) and early 2011 (QG4).
Qatargas' offshore operations are located approximately 80 kilometres (49.7 mi) northeast of Qatar's mainland on the North Field
. The production facilities were commissioned in 1996. Processed gas is transferred to shore with the associated condensate via a single 32 inches (812.8 mm) subsea pipeline.
Qatargas transports its LNG by using two new classes of LNG tankers known as Q-Max
and Q-Flex
. The fleet of Qatargas vessels has caused controversy due to noise emanating from the vessels while berthed at receiving terminals.
Liquefied natural gas
Liquefied natural gas or LNG is natural gas that has been converted temporarily to liquid form for ease of storage or transport....
(LNG) company. It annually produces and supplies the globe with 42 million metric tons of LNG from across its four ventures (Qatargas 1, Qatargas 2, Qatargas3, and Qatargas 4). It is headquartered in Doha, Qatar
Qatar
Qatar , also known as the State of Qatar or locally Dawlat Qaṭar, is a sovereign Arab state, located in the Middle East, occupying the small Qatar Peninsula on the northeasterly coast of the much larger Arabian Peninsula. Its sole land border is with Saudi Arabia to the south, with the rest of its...
, and maintains its upstream assets in Ras Laffan, Qatar. Natural gas is supplied to Qatargas's LNG trains from Qatar's massive North Field, by far the world's largest non-associated gas field.
History
The Qatargas company was established in 1984. The company was originally formed to operate three LNG trains with a design capacity of two million tonnes per annum (mtpa) each (Qatargas 1). The first shipment of LNG was delivered to Japan in 1997. In July 2005, Qatargas Operating Company Limited was formed for the purpose of operating and maintaining the assets of Qatargas 1, Qatargas 2, Qatargas 3, Qatargas 4, Laffan Refinery and other assets on behalf of the shareholders. On 6 April 2009, the Qatargas 2 project was officially inaugurated. In November 2010 and January 2011, respectively, qatargas 3 and 4 started production.Operations
The shareholders of the Qatargas 1 are Qatar PetroleumQatar Petroleum
Qatar Petroleum is a state owned petroleum company in Qatar. The company operates all oil and gas activities in Qatar, including exploration, production, refining, transport, and storage. QP's Chairman Abdullah Bin Hamad Al-Attiyah, is also the head of the Ministry of Energy and Industry and, as...
, ExxonMobil
ExxonMobil
Exxon Mobil Corporation or ExxonMobil, is an American multinational oil and gas corporation. It is a direct descendant of John D. Rockefeller's Standard Oil company, and was formed on November 30, 1999, by the merger of Exxon and Mobil. Its headquarters are in Irving, Texas...
, Total
Total S.A.
Total S.A. is a French multinational oil company and one of the six "Supermajor" oil companies in the world.Its businesses cover the entire oil and gas chain, from crude oil and natural gas exploration and production to power generation, transportation, refining, petroleum product marketing, and...
, Mitsui
Mitsui
is one of the largest corporate conglomerates in Japan and one of the largest publicly traded companies in the world.-History:Founded by Mitsui Takatoshi , who was the fourth son of a shopkeeper in Matsusaka, in what is now today's Mie prefecture...
and Marubeni
Marubeni
is a Japanese trading company, one of the largest general trading companies in Japan.-Offices:*Head Office - 4-2, Otemachi 1-chome, Chiyoda, Tokyo, Japan*Head Office -20-6, Shiba 5-chome, Minato, Tokyo, Japan...
. It owns three LNG train
LNG train
An LNG train is the term used to describe the liquefaction and purification facilities in a liquefied natural gas plant.In order to make it practical and commercially viable to transport natural gas from one country to another, its volume has to be greatly reduced...
s. In 2008, it produced 10.09 million tonnes of liquefied natural gas. The projected production for the end of 2012 is 42 million tonnes per annum (mtpa).
Qatargas II, a joint venture of Qatar Petroleum and ExxonMobil, owns LNG trains 4 and 5 with a capacity of 7.8 million tonnes per annum (mtpa) each. It is supplying LNG for the South Hook LNG terminal
South Hook LNG terminal
South Hook LNG terminal is an LNG regasification terminal near Milford Haven and is the largest LNG terminal in Europe. Together with the smaller Dragon LNG terminal it can handle up to 25% of the UK's gas requirement. The first tanker docked on 20 March 2009....
at Milford Haven
Milford Haven
Milford Haven is a town and community in Pembrokeshire, Wales. It is situated on the north side of the Milford Haven Waterway, a natural harbour used as a port since the Middle Ages. The town was founded in 1790 on the north side of the Waterway, from which it takes its name...
, Pembrokeshire
Pembrokeshire
Pembrokeshire is a county in the south west of Wales. It borders Carmarthenshire to the east and Ceredigion to the north east. The county town is Haverfordwest where Pembrokeshire County Council is headquartered....
, Wales
Wales
Wales is a country that is part of the United Kingdom and the island of Great Britain, bordered by England to its east and the Atlantic Ocean and Irish Sea to its west. It has a population of three million, and a total area of 20,779 km²...
, from where gas is fed to the South Wales Gas Pipeline
South Wales Gas Pipeline
The South Wales Gas Pipeline is the UK’s largest high-pressure gas pipeline. The pipeline passing through Wales was built for the National Grid and links Dragon and South Hook liquid natural gas terminals at Milford Haven, Pembrokeshire with the national gas network at Tirley,...
. This covers 20% of the United Kingdom's needs of LNG.
Qatargas III is a joint venture between Qatar Petroleum, ConocoPhillips
ConocoPhillips
ConocoPhillips Company is an American multinational energy corporation with its headquarters located in the Energy Corridor district of Houston, Texas in the United States...
and Mitsui. Qatargas IV is a joint venture between Qatar Petroleum and Royal Dutch Shell
Royal Dutch Shell
Royal Dutch Shell plc , commonly known as Shell, is a global oil and gas company headquartered in The Hague, Netherlands and with its registered office in London, United Kingdom. It is the fifth-largest company in the world according to a composite measure by Forbes magazine and one of the six...
. At first approached as separate projects, Qatargas III and IV are now being built by a joint asset development team that is staffed by Qatargas, ConocoPhillips and Shell employees as well as project direct hires and short term contractors. Its trains have started up by end 2010 (QG3) and early 2011 (QG4).
Qatargas' offshore operations are located approximately 80 kilometres (49.7 mi) northeast of Qatar's mainland on the North Field
South Pars / North Dome Gas-Condensate field
The South Pars / North Dome field is a natural gas condensate field located in the Persian Gulf. It is the world's largest gas field, shared between Iran and Qatar...
. The production facilities were commissioned in 1996. Processed gas is transferred to shore with the associated condensate via a single 32 inches (812.8 mm) subsea pipeline.
Qatargas transports its LNG by using two new classes of LNG tankers known as Q-Max
Q-Max
Q-Max is a type of ship, specifically a membrane type liquefied natural gas carrier. In the name Q-Max, "Q" stands for Qatar and "Max" for the maximum size of ship able to dock at the LNG terminals in Qatar...
and Q-Flex
Q-Flex
Q-Flex is a type of ship, specifically a membrane type liquefied natural gas carrier.-Technical description:Q-Flex vessels are propelled by two slow speed diesel engines, which are claimed to be more efficient and environmentally friendly than traditional steam turbines...
. The fleet of Qatargas vessels has caused controversy due to noise emanating from the vessels while berthed at receiving terminals.