Qatar Petrochemical Company’s (QAPCO’s) third low density polyethylene (LDPE) plant in Mesaieed Industrial City was inaugurated on 20 November by Qatar’s Amir Shaikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani. QAPCO said the LDPE 3 plant has capacity to produce 300,000 tons/year, which will be sold on the international market. Two existing LDPE plants at the site have combined production capacity of 400,000 t/y. The complex also includes an 800,000 t/y ethylene cracker and a 70,000 t/y sulfur processing unit. Commissioning of the LDPE 3 plant was completed in August.
Minister of Energy and Industry Muhammad al-Sada said: “With LDPE 3, we continue to reinforce Qatar’s position not only as a regional industrial power, but also a global one.” Dr Sada told reporters after the ceremony that a $7bn polyolefins plant being developed by state oil company Qatar Petroleum (QP) and QAPCO at Ras Laffan has reached the engineering stage and will be “up and running by 2018.” QP and QAPCO are expected to call for expressions of interest towards year-end for front engineering and design (FEED) of a 1.4mn t/y ethylene cracker at the heart of the complex. Other planned units will have capacity to produce 850,000 t/y of high density polyethylene (HDPE); 430,000 t/y of LDPE; 760,000 t/y of polypropylene; and 83,000 t/y of butadiene. (CONTINUED - 274 WORDS)
