The Emir H H Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani inaugurated yesterday the third low density polyethylene plant (LDPE 3) of Qatar Petrochemical Company (QAPCO) at the Mesaieed Industrial City. The opening ceremony was attended by the Minister of Energy and Industry H E Dr Mohammed bin Saleh Al Sada, Chairman of the Administrative Control and Transparency Authority H E Abdullah bin Hamad Al Attiyah, and Speaker of the Advisory Council H E Mohammad bin Mubarak Al Khulaifi.
By Satish Kanady
DOHA: Reinforcing Qatar’s position as a major petrochemicals producer and exporter, the Emir H H Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani launched Qatar Petrochemical Company’s (QAPCO) new state-of-the-art, third low-density polyethylene plant (LDPE 3), at a high-profile ceremony in Mesaieed Industrial City yesterday.
The opening ceremony was attended by ministers and other dignitaries, including the Minister of Energy and Industry H E Dr Mohammed bin Saleh Al Sada, Chairman of the Administrative Control and Transparency Authority H E Abdullah bin Hamad Al Attiyah and senior executives from QAPCO’s shareholders, Industries Qatar and Total.
The QR2.3bn new facility puts the nation at the centre of the global petrochemicals industry. At peak capacity, the facility will be able to produce 300,000 metric tonnes of low density polyethylene per year. Combined with QAPCO’s existing LDPE facilities, this pushes up the country’s output to 700,000 metric tonnes of LDPE per annum.
Currently, QAPCO’s manufacturing facilities consist of an 800 KTPA (kilo-tonne per annum) ethylene plant, a 70 KTPA sulfur processing facility, and two existing LDPE plants with total production capacity of 400 KTPA. And after LDPE 3 came fully online, that is designed to take advantage of the company’s excess ethylene feedstock, it will be able to produce an additional 300,000 metric tonnes of LDPE per year; thus increasing QAPCO’s annual production of LDPE to 700,000 metric tonnes per annum.
LDPE 3 also meets the stringent environmental standards as set forth by Qatar’s Ministry of Environment. No run-off flows into the clear waters off the coast of Mesaieed, and additionally, heat produced at the plant is recycled for heating and power. Safety regulations were especially adhered to, with a milestone 12.7m man-hours with no loss time recorded.
Designed to exploit QAPCO’s available surplus feedstock coming from its other facilities, LDPE 3’s products will be sold in international markets under the brand name ‘Lotrene’ – a name customer’s associate with quality and excellence.
QAPCO’s industrial clients will benefit from the facilities’ premium low density polyethylene, the raw material used in everything from packaging films, agricultural film, extrusion and coating lamination film, high clarity film, injection molding, pipes, cables, wires, and other related products.
“With the launching of LDPE 3 and plans to develop other petrochemical plants, Qatar is set to join the exclusive club of major petrochemical producers and exporters”, the energy minister said. The Peninsula
