Doha, January 6, 2003 – Qatar Petroleum signed today a Front End Engineering Design (FEED) and Project Management Consultancy (PMC) Contract for the Linear Alkyl Benzene Project with the UK-based Foster Wheeler Company, and the Process Technology Engineering License & Guarantee Contract with UOP-UK. Linear Alkyl Benzene (LAB) is widely used in household detergents.
The agreements were signed at QP headquarters by Mr. Abdullah Hussain Salatt, Senior Advisor for H.E. Abdullah Bin Hamad Al Attiyah, Minister of Energy and Industry, on behalf of H.E. the Minister, Mr. James Woolley, Foster Wheeler, Regional Manager, Middle East, and Mr. Peter Piotrowski, General Manager, International Process Technology and Equipment, of UOP.
Foster Wheeler-UK was selected to develop the Basic Design Package “FEED” and as the Project Management Consultants. Also UOP-UK was selected as the Technology Licensor
Upon the directives of H.H. The Emir, Sheikh Hamad Bin Khalifa Al-Thani to encourage and involve the private sector in national economic development, it was decided to invite the private sector for partnership with Qatar Petroleum in execution of this project.
The Linear Alkyl Benzene will be produced from n-Paraffin and Benzene. The n-Paraffin shall be designed to process hydro-treated straight run Kerosene from Qatar Petroleum Refinery. The new plant location was selected to be within the Qatar Petroleum Refinery battery limits to benefit from the utilization of the existing utilities such as electric power, cooling water, instrument air, and jetty in order to reduce the capital cost of the project.
Environmental issues will be given the highest importance in the different stages of the project. The new facilities will be designed to meet the QP and Qatar Regulatory requirements as embodied in the environmental policy and the international environmental standards. The project will be designed and constructed to provide healthy, safe and environmentally friendly facilities.
Major Features Of LAB Project
n-Paraffin plant capacity of 80,000 MTA and Linear Alkyl Benzene plant capacity of 100,000 MTA.
Construction of new tanks for intermediate and finished products, utilities and product distribution facilities.
Estimated project cost will be approximately $240 million. It is scheduled as a fast-track project and to be commissioned during the fourth quarter of the year 2005.
