By Pratap John
Chief Business Reporter
Qatar Fertiliser Company has become the world’s largest exporter of urea even as it accounts for 15% of the globally traded urea with the formal inauguration of the QR2.2bn Qafco 6 in Mesaieed yesterday.
Qafco 6, which consists of a single urea plant, would scale up the company’s urea output to 5.6mn tonnes per year (tpy). It was inaugurated by HH the Heir Apparent Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani at a high-profile ceremony held at the industrial city.
The state-of-the-art new plant would also make Qafco the fourth largest urea producer in the world.
Qafco’s urea storage (of 175,000 tonnes) is the world’s largest such air-conditioned facility.
Qafco 6’s engineering procurement and construction contract was signed with a consortium led by Saipem and Hyundai Engineering & Construction in late 2009 and the plant was commissioned within the contracted time of 35 months.
The same consortium had implemented the Qafco 5 project as well.
According to Qafco, the expansion was made an option in the Qafco 5 contract that allowed the company to utilise excess ammonia from the fifth plant and convert it into urea.
The contract covered the supply of licences, engineering, procurement, construction and start-up of a complete granulated urea production plant with a capacity of 3,850 tonnes per day (tpd) and associated utilities and off-site units at the Qafco Complex in Mesaieed.
The Qafco 6 project consists of a single urea plant - Urea 6, with a design capacity of 3,800tpd of urea including a granulator unit with a design capacity of 3,850tpd. The annual production capacity is 1,350,000 tonnes.
Saipem is the licensor for the urea plant while the granulation plant has been licensed to Uhde Fertiliser Technology. Uhde’s Fertiliser technology for granulation has also been used for Qafco 3 and 4.
Speaking at the Qafco 6 launch, HE the Minister of Energy and Industry, Dr Mohamed bin Saleh al-Sada, said: “Qatar’s transformation has come about through sound economic management, responsible exploitation of bountiful hydrocarbon resources and planned economic diversification. This has been brought about through the wise guidance and directives of HH the Emir, Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa al-Thani, who has envisioned Qatar to be a vibrant and prosperous country with all round progress, and special attention on human, social, economic and environmental development.”
On the elements of success in Qatar’s growth, al-Sada said: “Qatar recognised the importance of utilising the most efficient technologies for developing its resources. To achieve this, we have established strategic and mutually beneficial partne-
rships with International partners.
“Qafco 6 is a glorious example of continuity and stability, which has led to eight-fold expansion of its urea production over the past 15 years, establishing the company as a key player in the global fertiliser market.”
Qafco chairman Abdulaziz bin Ahmed al-Malki said: “Qafco 6 will propel the company to a position of being the largest exporter and fourth largest producer of urea in the world. This represents a major leap on Qafco’s scale of progress and further enhances our role in the Qatar’s economic development.”
Al-Malki said Qafco currently exports fertiliser products to some 45 countries worldwide. The company has an “ambitious expansion strategy”, he said.
Qafco vice-chairman and CEO Khalifa Abdulla al-Sowaidi said: “With the inauguration of Qafco 6, we will account for 15% of globally traded urea.
“To be the largest producers of ammonia and urea in the world is a dream that Qafco had cherished for long. With Qafco 6, we have taken another stride towards realising the goal.”