By Pratap John/Chief Business Reporter In a clear boost to the local industries and utilities, Qatar formally launched the $10.3bn Barzan project, a QP–ExxonMobil joint venture that will provide 1.4bn cubic feet a day of lean gas.HH the Heir Apparent Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani laid the foundation stone for the world scale project at a well-attended ceremony at the Sheraton yesterday.The project will be completed in two phases. Train will produce the first gas in 2014 and train 2 in 2015. Besides 1.4bn cubic feet a day of lean sales gas, which is mainly methane, Barzan’s Ras Laffan facility will also produce about 29,000 barrels per day (bpd) of both field and plant condensates, 1,900 tonnes per day (tpd) of ethane, 860tpd of propane and 680tpd of butane, HE the Minister of Energy and Industry, Dr Mohamed Saleh al-Sada told Gulf Times yesterday. Barzan gas from the North Field will supply clean natural gas to fuel the development of many new projects such as the New Doha International Airport, New Doha Seaport, sport facilities for the 2022 Fifa World Cup and numerous power and water desalination plants.
The project will be managed and operated by RasGas. When the two new trains are in operation (by 2015), RasGas will become one of the largest single gas processors in the world.At that time, RasGas will have the capacity to produce about 11bn standard cubic feet a day of gas, which is the equivalent of almost 2mn barrels of oil.The Barzan project takes its name from a fort, built in the early 20th century and located north of Doha. Barzan in Arabic means ‘elevation’. The project will include drilling and development of some 30 wells, 10 at each of the three unmanned wellhead platforms weighing 3,000 tonnes each and the construction of a world scale sulphur recovery facility, which will produce about 4,000 tonnes of sulphur a day. Early in the planning stage, RasGas and its partners conducted an economic, environmental and social study to find the project impact.Based on the findings of this study, several cutting edge environmental and safety measures will be implemented to help minimise environmental impacts. These include proprietary technology that recovers Natural Gas Liquids (NGL) from the sales gas stream to generate additional revenue for the project and removes nitrogen from the sales gas stream to achieve the sales gas specifications required by the customers. The integrated NGL Recovery and Nitrogen Rejection Unit (NRU) will be the first application of this industry proven technology in Qatar.
The project will also incorporate proprietary technology to maximise sulphur recovery and minimises sulphur dioxide emissions. Sea water cooling towers that provide a closed loop cooling system will be used to cool process streams. This closed loop system minimises the use of sea water required for process cooling.Sophisticated technologies are being applied in pipeline and offshore platform installation that will help minimise impact on marine life to a great extent.Al-Sada said the Barzan Gas Project will have the largest number of Qataris working on it and will offer unique development programmes for young Qataris and engineers to enhance their skills and knowledge in the energy industry. Some 31 Qatari professionals, both men and women, are working overseas and participating in a Professional Development Programme specifically related to the project.HE the Deputy Premier and Chief of Emiri Diwan, Abdullah bin Hamad al-Attiyah, ministers and other dignitaries attended the stone laying ceremony.