Qatar - RasGas-3 LNG Project Is Advancing.

Ras Laffan Liquefied Natural Gas Co. II (RasGas II), is to issue tenders in the third quarter for up to five engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) contracts related to a $750m infrastructure project at Ras Laffan. Ras Laffan is Qatar's centre for LNG exports which will have a capacity of almost 75 million t/y before 2015 - by far the largest in the world. The $750m project will primarily serve the RasGas III venture, which centres on construction of two 7.8 million t/y LNG trains for the US market. RasGas II and III involve mainly the state-owned Qatar Petroleum (QP) and ExxonMobil.

The $750m project, Ras Laffan offplots, involves the following: (1) construction of four plant condensate storage tanks, each with capacity of 90,000 cubic metres, loading lines and an export berth; (2) field condensate facilities including construction of four storage tanks, each of 30,000 cubic metres, loading lines and a 125,000-cubic-metre LPG tank; (3) supply and installation of a liquefied natural gas (LNG) jetty flare, a nitrogen generator, cryogenic heat exchangers and pumps, pressure vessels, piping and instrumentation and related facilities; and (4) a major common condensate and LPG storage and loading facilities.

Seven groups have submitted prequalifications for a contract to build the common condensate and LPG storage and loading facilities at the Ras Laffan port. The groups are an Italian team of Saipem with Snamprogetti; UAE-based Petrofac International, with Chicago Bridge & Iron (CB&I) of the US; Hyundai Heavy Industries of South Korea; Oslo-based Aker Kvaerner; Techint of Italy; Tecnicas Reunidas of Spain; and Black & Veatch Oil, Gas & Chemicals of the US. The front-end engineering and design (FEED) contractor is Snamprogetti with WorleyParsons of Australia. (See survey of Qatar to be serialised in Vol. 65, Nos. 9-12).