QatarEnergy has announced that it is proceeding with a new LNG expansion project, the North Field West project, to further raise the State of Qatar’s LNG production capacity to 142 million tons per annum (MTPA) before the end of this decade, representing an increase of almost 85 per cent from current production levels.

 

Saad Al-Kaabi, the Minister of State for Energy Affairs, the President and CEO of QatarEnergy, made the announcement during a press conference held at QatarEnergy’s Headquarters in Doha.

 

Speaking at the press conference, Minister Al-Kaabi announced that extensive appraisal drilling and testing have confirmed that productive layers of Qatar’s giant North Field extend towards the west, which allows for developing a new LNG production project in Ras Laffan.

 

The Minister said that: “QatarEnergy has focused its efforts and attention on determining how far west the North Field’s productive layers extend in order to evaluate the production potential from those areas. We have continued geological and engineering studies and have drilled a number of appraisal wells in that area. I am pleased today to announce that, praise be to God, these great efforts have confirmed, through technical tests of the appraisal wells, the extension of the North Field’s productive layers further towards the west, which means the ability to produce significant additional quantities of gas from this new sector.”

 

Al-Kaabi also announced the presence of huge additional gas quantities in the North Field estimated at 240 trillion cubic feet, which raises the State of Qatar’s gas reserves from 1,760 to more than 2,000 trillion cubic feet, and the condensates reserves from 70 to more than 80 billion barrels, in addition to large quantities of liquefied petroleum gas, ethane, and helium.

 

The Minister said: “These are very important results of great dimensions that will take Qatar’s gas industry to new horizons, as they will enable us to begin developing a new LNG project from the North Field’s western sector with a production capacity of about 16 MTPA. As such, the State of Qatar's total LNG production will reach about 142 MTPA when this new expansion is completed before the end of this decade. This represents an increase of almost 85 per cent compared to current production levels. With the completion of this project, the State of Qatar’s total hydrocarbon production will exceed 7.25 million barrels of oil equivalent per day.”

 

Al-Kaabi added that QatarEnergy will immediately commence the basic engineering works necessary to ensure that the planned progress is achieved according to the approved schedule for this new project, which will be called the North Field West project.

 

Al-Kaabi said: “I would like to extend my sincere thanks and appreciation to my colleagues the managers and employees at QatarEnergy and in the energy sector in Qatar, women and men, Qataris and expatriates, who work as one family tirelessly and with dedication to advance the energy sector for the benefit of Qatar, QatarEnergy, and our partners. And I would like to say: I am proud of you all.”

 

Al-Kaabi concluded his remarks by expressing sincere thanks and gratitude to His Highness Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, the Amir of the State of Qatar for his wise leadership and guidance, and the unlimited support of the energy sector of the State of Qatar.

 

QatarEnergy continues work to implement various elements of the North Field production expansion projects, including the North Field East project and the North Field South project.--OGN/TradeArabia News Service