Qatar Petroleum (QP) has invited a group of leading international companies, with extensive experiences in the petrochemicals industry, to submit proposals for partnering with Qatar Petroleum in the development and operation of a new world scale petrochemicals complex at the Ras Laffan Industrial City.

The petrochemicals complex will include an ethane cracker with a capacity of more than 1.6mn tons per year (mtpy) of ethylene, making it the "largest ethane cracker" in the Middle East, and one of the largest in the world.

The petrochemicals complex will also include world-class derivative plants, which will consolidate Qatar’s position among the leading petrochemicals producers in the world markets.

The engineering design of the petrochemicals complex should commence shortly, leading to a planned start-up in 2025.

Qatar Petroleum President and CEO Saad Sherida al-Kaabi said, “This development is a first step towards the launch of a new world scale Petrochemicals Complex at Ras Laffan, marking another important milestone for Qatar Petroleum.”

Al-Kaabi added: “Petrochemicals represent a major pillar of our growth strategy to achieve our vision of becoming one of the best national oil companies in the world. This project will complement our efforts to implement our strategy, and will enable Qatar Petroleum to further expand its footprint in the global petrochemicals markets.”

The feedstock for the petrochemical complex will be ethane produced primarily from the new North Field LNG expansion project that will produce an additional 23mn tpy of LNG, as well as from existing gas projects producing ethane.

Recently, Qatar Petroleum selected Japan’s Chiyoda Corporation to execute the Front End Engineering and Design (FEED) of the onshore facilities of the North Field expansion project.

The facilities will produce an additional 23mn tonnes per year (tpy) of liquefied natural gas (LNG), which will raise Qatar’s production from 77mn tpy to 100mn tpy, as was announced by Qatar Petroleum in July, 2017.

The addition of 23mn tpy of LNG will not just enhance Qatar Petroleum’s position as the world's largest LNG producer and exporter, but also its international image as a reliable and trustworthy energy provider.

The expansion of Qatar’s LNG production from the North Field is an important landmark in Qatar Petroleum's strategic growth plan and objectives of becoming one of the best national oil and gas companies in the world.