Consultancy firm Wood Mackenzie has said that it is the largest single LNG project ever to be sanctioned. The expansion will take Qatar’s LNG production capacity to 110 million tonnes per annum (mtpa) from 77 million mtpa.

Qatar Petroleum’s chief executive officer Saad Al Kaabi said in a virtual news conference production from that phase will start by the fourth quarter of 2025 and reach full capacity by late 2026 or early 2027. He added, “The total cost of the project will be $28.7 billion, making it one of the industry’s largest investments in the past few years and largest LNG capacity ever built.”

It was also reported that Qatar Petroleum is planning to create low carbon energy by growing its renewable energy capacity. The Middle Eastern country is planning to increase its solar capacity by 2-4 gigawatts (GW) by 2030.

Recently, Qatar Petroleum released its new Sustainability Strategy report, which establishes several targets in line with the goals of the Paris Agreement. The company plans to reduce its greenhouse gas emissions by 2030. According to the report, the company wants to cut down the emissions intensity of the country’s LNG facilities by 25 percent and of its upstream facilities by at least 15 percent. It also wants to reduce flare intensity across upstream facilities by over 75 percent.

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The expansion of the country’s LNG facilities will create the world’s largest natural gas field. Qatar shares North Field with Iran. The country’s increase in LNG output comes after the drilling work in the expanded North Field mega project. Chief Executive of Qatar Petroleum Saad Al Kaabi, told the local media that, “I am pleased to announce that our appraisal efforts have borne fruit, and that we have confirmation that the productive layers of the North Field extend well into Qatari land in Ras Laffan.” 

Multiple studies and tests in recent months have confirmed the possibility of producing large quantities of gas from the North Field. This means the crew will be able to immediately commence the engineering work for two additional LNG mega projects. These projects will have a combined capacity of 16 million tonnes per annum.

The anticipated increase in Qatar’s LNG output is from 77 million tonnes to 126 million tonnes per annum by 2027. Overall, that would increase the country’s LNG output to 6.7 million barrels of oil equivalent per day from 4.8 in the next eight years. 

Besides Qatar, the forecast for LNG output growth is in South and Southeast Asia, the local media reported. Also, Australia might beat Qatar in its top position as the world’s largest LNG producer this year. 

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Last month, Qatar Petroleum said that it signed a contract with Total and its Italian partner Eni for the acquisition of three exploratory blocks in the Lamu basin off Kenya. 

Petroleum Principal Secretary Andrew Kamau told a media report that the permits were issued.  Qatar Petroleum owned 25 percent in the three blocks in the acquired in the Lamu offshore basin under the regulatory approval of Kenyan authorities. 

The three offshore blocks L11A, L11B and L12 are situated in an area that is largely unexplored in  the Lamubecken in Kenya. The blocks have approximately a total area of 15,000 square kilometres with water depths up to 3000 metres. 

Eni also owns blocks L21, L23 and L24.  Qatar’s Minister of State for Energy Saad bin Sherida Al Kaabi said, “We are pleased to sign this agreement to participate in the exploration of these offshore coastal areas in Kenya and further strengthen our presence in Africa.” He was also the president and CEO of Qatar Petroleum.

Last month, Qatar Petroleum announced that it will acquire a stake in Total’s two oil and gas blocks offshore Guyana. The company said it will hold 40 percent of Total’s existing 25 percent interest in the Orinduik and neighboring Kanuku blocks. 

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 Chevron Phillips Chemical will hold a 51 percent stake and Qatar Petroleum will acquire the remaining 49 percent stake in the new venture. Chevron Phillips Chemical is a joint venture between Chevron and Phillips. Both companies expect a final investment decision by 2021.

The project will be constructed along the Gulf Coast region where there is good access to the shale natural gas liquid reserves, the press release said. It will include a 2,000 KTA ethylene cracker and two 1,000 KTA high-density polyethylene units. 

Chevron Phillips Chemical will take charge of project management and will be responsible for the facility’s operation. According to the press release, the project construction would support an estimated 9,000 construction jobs, and offer 600 full-time positions once operations commence. 

Chevron Phillips Chemical President and CEO Mark Lashier, said, “Qatar Petroleum is already a terrific partner of Chevron Phillips Chemical on petrochemical plants in Qatar and we look forward to expanding our relationship in the United States as we jointly seek to develop a new petrochemical facility along the U.S. Gulf Coast.  Qatar Petroleum’s financial strength, its commitment to safety as a core value and shared belief in our strategy to build facilities located close to competitive feedstocks make this an ideal relationship.”

 Last month, Chevron Phillips Chemical and Qatar Petroleum announced a joint venture to establish a petrochemical plant in Qatar at the Ras Laffan Industrial City. 

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The minister was speaking at the 18^th annual Qatarisation review meeting of the energy sector, recently in Doha. He said that the Qatarisation programme in the energy sector was providing learning and development opportunities to Qatar nationals. By leading the development of human resources in the oil and gas sector in Qatar, the programme contributes to Qatar’s  National Vision 2030 initiative.

In the 16 years to 2017, the number of Qataris employed in the oil and gas sector had tripled from 2,900 to 9,300. At the 17^th annual Qatarisation review meeting, the government had announced that the level of Qatarisation in the energy sector had reached 29 percent. The government had set a target of 50 percent Qatarisation in the near future in 2017.

The minister of state for energy affairs highlighted the role of technical education in solving the human resources needs of Qatar’s oil and gas sector. A number of organisations presented their efforts to develop the Qatari human resources in the energy sector.

At the event, Qatar Petrochemical Company (QAPCO) won the Qatarisation Crystal Award for support and liaison with the education sector. Dolphin energy won the Qatarisation Crystal Award for supporting Qatarisation and Qatar Gas Transport Company (Nakilat) won the award for supporting training and development. Qatar Shell won the same award in the best Qatarisation progress category.

Qatargas won the annual Qatarisation certificate for support and liaison with the education sector while Qatar Fertiliser Company (QAFCO) won the same certificate for supporting Qatarisation. Gulf Helicopters Company also won the certificate for supporting training and development.

Executives from Qatar’s education sector and those from 35 companies participating in the energy sector’s strategic Qatarisation plan participated in the meeting.

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