QATAR - Qatar Petrochemical Co.Qapco is owned 80% by QP (IQ) and 20% by Atofina (a Total unit which in September 2002 bought Enichem's 10% stake. Its complex at Umm Said has the following capacity: a 525,000 t/y ethylene plant, expanded in mid-1996 from 304,000 t/y and now being expanded to 725,000 t/y in a project to be completed in mid-2006 (see background in Vol. 61, DT No. 11); a 430,000 t/y low density polyethylene Low-density polyethylene (LDPE) is a thermoplastic made from oil. It was the first grade of polyethylene, produced in 1933 by Imperial Chemical Industries (ICI) using a high pressure process via free radical polymerisation [1]. (LDPE LDPE abbr. low-density polyethylene ) plant, raised in mid-1996 from 180,000 t/y and in 2003/04 from 380,000 t/y through debottlenecking work. The complex's power plant was expanded by 45 MW under a $50m contract won by Technologie Progetti Lavori which also installed a desalination desalination or desalting Removal of dissolved salts from seawater and from the salty waters of inland seas, highly mineralized groundwaters, and municipal wastewaters. unit with a capacity of 85 tons/hour and a nitrogen plant. The Qapco expansion had been promoted since 1989. The delay was mostly due to a finance issue (see background in Vol. 57, No. 11). Qatar Vinyl Co. (QVC QVC Quality Value Convenience QVC Question Valid Command ) at Mesaieed began production in April 2001 with a capacity of 180,000 t/y of ethylene dichloride di·chlo·ride n. A chemical compound containing two chlorine atoms bound to another element or radical. Also called bichloride. Noun 1. (EDC EDC See: Export Development Corp. ), 290,000 t/y of caustic soda and chlorine and 230,000 t/y of vinyl chloride monomer (VCM). Its ethylene feedstock is supplied by Qapco's cracker. QVC's plant has cost about $700m and has its own 120 MW power station. A second phase of the QVC project will involve building a polyvinyl chloride (PVC PVC: see polyvinyl chloride. PVC in full polyvinyl chloride Synthetic resin, an organic polymer made by treating vinyl chloride monomers with a peroxide. ) unit and doubling the VCM capacity. The partners in QVC are: QP (25.5%), Qapco (31.9%), Norsk Hydro of Norway (29.7%), and Atofina (12.9%). Qapco in late 1995 opted against a partnership with OxyChem of the US. Agreement to launch the QVC project was first reached in May 1996. Societe Generale of France was appointed as financial adviser in October 1997. Norsk Hydro is QP's partner in the fertiliser complex of Qafco at Umm Said. QVC was formed in early 1997. A Krupp Uhde/Technipetrol partnership was the main contractor. QVC has been purchasing 250,000 t/y of industrial salt from Jordan Safi Salt Co. (Jossco) since 2001. This is under a five-year contract signed in Amman in November 2000. QVC could boost its total purchases by 25% over the contract period. |
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