Barzan gas project close to first gas production

RasGas Company Limited said that Train 1 of its historic Barzan Gas Project (BGP) is more than 95 per cent complete and is rapidly ramping up for the first production of clean-burning natural gas in the first quarter of 2015.

Construction work on Train 2 is also progressing well with expectations to be completed by the middle of 2015. Once completed, the two processing trains will produce around 1.4 billion standard cubic feet a day (bcfd) of sales gas. Combined with RasGas’ other facilities production (LNG and sales gas), the BGP is set to make RasGas one of the largest single gas processors in the world with a production capacity of 11 bcfd. In addition to sales gas, Barzan will produce about 22,000 barrels per day (bpd) of field condensate, 6,000 bpd of plant condensate, 34,000 bpd of ethane, 10,500 bpd of propane and 7,500 bpd of butane.

Mohammed bin Saleh Al-Sada, Minister of Energy and Industry said, “The Barzan Gas Project is strategically important for Qatar’s sustainable economic development, and is a powerful step forward in the country’s overall industrial and human development, in line with Qatar National Vision 2030. I would like to commend RasGas, its shareholders, Qatar Petroleum and ExxonMobil Corporation, its contractors and all involved in this massive project for their commitment, outstanding management and world-class safety achievements.”

The construction of this mega-project, which includes both offshore and onshore facilities, started in 2011. The offshore facilities include three offshore wellhead platforms, subsea pipelines and cables. The onshore facilities are comprised of a gas processing unit, a sulphur recovery unit to remove impurities from the natural gas, and a natural gas liquids (NGL) recovery unit, which will produce methane, ethane, propane, butane and condensate. Ethane produced from the plant will be used as a feedstock for the growing Qatari petrochemical industry. RasGas was appointed by its shareholders, Qatar Petroleum and ExxonMobil, to design, construct and operate the BGP, which is one of the largest and most technologically advanced gas projects in the region.

Press Release, September 3, 2014; Image: RasGas