The Qatar Chemical Company (Q-Chem) has inaugurated its petrochemical complex in Mesaieed, Qatar. The integrated petrochemical complex includes a 500,000 metric ton per year of ethylene cracker, a 453,000 metric ton per year polyethylene (PE) plant, and a 47,000 metric ton per year 1-hexene plant.
Q-Chem is a joint venture company owned 49 percent by the Chevron Phillips Chemical Company and 51 percent by Qatar Petroleum. The new firm is expected to employ 575 employees and contractors in Mesaieed and Doha. Q-Chem is the first of three joint venture projects between Qatar Petroleum (QP) and the Chevron Phillips Chemical Company.
The next project, Q-Chem II, is a joint venture between Chevron Phillips Chemical Company and QP that will include new polyethylene and normal alpha olefins (NAO) plants adjacent to the existing Q-Chem complex. Both processes will utilize Chevron Phillips Chemical Company's proprietary technology.
The third project is the construction of an ethane cracker in Northern Qatar at Ras Laffan Industrial City. The cracker will provide ethylene feedstock to the derivative units in Mesaieed via pipeline.
The cracker venture will include Qatar Petroleum and Atofina through their new Qatofin joint venture, and Qatar Petroleum and Chevron Phillips Chemical Company through their Q-Chem II joint venture. The Q-Chem II and ethane cracker projects are expected to begin operation in 2007.
QP was established in 1974 as a national corporation completely owned by the State of Qatar.
QP is responsible for all oil and gas industry processes in Qatar and abroad, including exploration and drilling for oil, natural gas and other hydrocarbon substances, production, refining, transport and storage of the aforementioned substances and any of their derivatives and by-products, as well as trading in, distribution, sale and export of these substances. — (menareport.com)
© 2003 Mena Report (www.menareport.com)
