Tasweeq markets more than 1mn tonnes of naphtha last year

By Pratap John/Chief Business ReporterTasweeq has “lifted and marketed” more than 1mn tonnes of Qatari naphtha last year, said company CEO Saad Abdulla al-Kuwari.Of this quantity, Pearl GTL accounted for 700,000 tonnes and Oryx GTL 300,000 tonnes, al-Kuwari said at the World GTL Congress here yesterday.From this year, naphtha exports from Pearl GTL alone are expected to increase to more than 1mn tonnes a year with the QP-Shell JV’s plant reaching full operating capacity.Naphtha exports from Oryx GTL are expected to remain stable at around 300,000 tonnes, he said.The production of GTL jet fuel (25% GTL Kerosene and 75% conventional) is expected to reach 5mn barrels in 2013, and increasing to nearly 15mn barrels a year at full capacity. The GTL jet fuel is already consumed locally in Qatar and any surplus will be exported by Tasweeq.As a sole marketer of several grades of naphtha, Tasweeq, also known as Qatar International Petroleum Marketing Company, can provide buyers flexibility in product types and grades in order to optimise timing and logistics to better meet the market needs. Buyers can co-load different types of naphtha, depending on feedstock requirements. Having two-port flexibility also increases Qatar’s logistics advantage in case of operational issues at any port.Tasweeq exports four categories of “regulated products”, which are liquefied petroleum gas (LPG), field and plant condensates, sulphur, and refined products including naphtha, diesel, jet fuel and motor gasoline.In 2009, Tasweeq was also assigned to marketing certain ‘non-regulated products’, including Qatar Petroleum’s crude oil entitlements produced in the country and local petroleum sales under agency agreement.In 2011, GTL Naphtha, both from Oryx GTL and Pearl GTL plants, was added to Tasweeq’s portfolio of light and full-range naphtha.One of Tasweeq’s strengths is to sell GTL Naphtha free on board or deliver to end-user’s receiving facilities anywhere in the world. Asia Pacific has the largest demand for Middle East naphtha, with 75% of the product going to North East Asia.Tasweeq will also market and sell any exports of GTL blended jet fuel, which will be used mainly in the aviation industry, as well as provide value in the distillates pool as zero-sulphur blend stock.“GTL blended jet fuel, which is as an alternative to conventional fuel, will contribute to the diversification of aviation fuel supply. It is a cleaner, more environmental-friendly fuel, with lower emissions of sulphur dioxide and particulate emissions than jet fuel derived from crude oil and condensates, making it attractive for improving local air quality at and around busy airports,” al-Kuwari said.