Pearl starts to shine for Shell and QP

Work on the world’s largest gas to liquids plant (GTL), Pearl GTL in Qatar, is on target to meet its scheduled end 2010 completion date, with ramp up beginning 2011. The plant, a joint development by Qatar Petroleum and Shell, aims to meet global growing demand for cleaner energy. It will process about three billion barrels of oil during its lifetime from the world’s largest single non-associated gas field, Qatar’s North Field, which stretches from the country’s coast out into the Gulf. The North Field contains more than 900 trillion cubic feet of gas, about 15% of worldwide gas resources. Pearl GTL will produce clean-burning diesel and kerosene, base oils for top-tier lubricants, naphtha and paraffin. The construction of Pearl GTL is ongoing at Ras Laffan, a vast industrial zone the size of Amsterdam on Qatar’s coast, some 90 kilometers north of Doha. (March 24, 2009)