Ras Laffan Research Articles

Ecological Baseline Survey: North of Ras Laffan to South of Ar Ruwais - Coastal & Marine Zone

Abstract Qatar has experienced great change in its infrastructure, continuous upgrading of its major industrial cities, of its network of roads and highways and major construction and development along its coastline in particular the eastern coastline. These activities can all have an impact on the marine life and terrestrial wildlife, vegetation and floristic composition. One strip of coastline on the north-eastern section of Qatar remains in parts virgin land and the coastal zone is considered a least impacted zone. A baseline survey was commissioned to record all physical/chemical and biological data of the Qatar marine zone. This survey, representing field data collected between February and April 2010, encompassed a 35km long stretch of coastline and extended 20km offshore and as far inland as 1km, it also included Umm Tais Island and Al Jasasiya. The seabed and the water body were documented by video photography. Fish population was studied by deployment of fish nets. Mangrove forests were studied i...

Innovative Solutions for Sulphur in Qatar

Abstract The estimated sulphur output from Qatar is around 4 Mtpa by 2012, primarily from gas processing operations(Sulphur magazine, March/April 2009). Shell is using novel technologies to utilize sulphur in various applications such as concrete (Shell Thiocrete*), asphalt (Shell Thiopave*) and fertilizers (Shell Thiogro*). The sulphur utilization programme in Qatar Shell Research and Technology Centre is part of a global research and development effort to develop Shell's sulphur concrete and sulphur modified asphalt technologies, with particular emphasis on the needs of the Gulf region. Shell's innovative sulphur concrete technology has the potential to take sulphur concrete from use in niche applications such as chemical flooring to more mainstream applications such as garden products, road construction products (e.g. pavers and traffic barriers) and marine products. This is because the relatively low cost of the modification technology allows sulphur concrete to be considered in applications previously covered only by Portland cement. The first field trial of sulphur concrete in Qatar is a 16 square metre area of sulphur concrete tiles in the Pearl GTL Worker's Village, Ras Laffan Industrial City, Qatar, laid in May 2008. Laboratory results showed that the bending strength of all the sulphur concrete mixtures was greater than the strength of the cement concrete. Moreover, the water absorption of the sulphur concrete tiles was lower than that of the cement concrete tiles. Shell's sulphur-modified asphalt is a technology developed by Shell Sulphur Solutions in 2003, enabling a portion of the bitumen in an asphalt mix to be replaced by modified sulphur, resulting in a pavement that has enhanced mechanical properties such as increased stiffness and significantly reduced permanent deformation. A trial two-lane section of roadway of asphalt mix containing sections of Shell Thiopave and conventional asphalt mixture was constructed in October 2007 at Pearl GTL Worker's Village. The results of the field monitoring study showed that the total road section (sulphur-modified asphalt and conventional mixture) was free of any moderate or major distresses. Industrial hygiene monitoring during laying operations showed that SO2 and H2S emissions remain below the maximum limits when the temperature is controlled than 1450C.The laboratory characterization showed that the sulphur-modified asphalt mixture exhibited better resistance to permanent deformation and higher stiffness than the conventional mixture.

Leveraging a Common Infrastructure To Support Qatar's Rapid LNG Expansion

Summary The State of Qatar is rapidly expanding to capture almost one-third of the world's liquefied-natural-gas (LNG) market. By 2010, LNG exports from the State of Qatar are projected to reach 77 million tonnes per annum (Mt/a) (This was the outlook in late 2009). In addition to the LNG production, there will be a sizeable quantity of byproducts (condensate, propane, butane, and sulfur) as a result of the LNG production. These byproducts are expected to reach production rates of approximately 80 000 m3/d [500,000 barrels per day (B/D)] of condensate, 20 000 tonnes per day (t/d) of propane, 13 000 t/d of butane, and 12 000 t/d of sulfur. To support this expansion, the State of Qatar has embarked on a pioneering approach to the storage and loading of LNG and its byproducts that will serve as an example of significant capital-investment savings, operational flexibility, and reduced land requirements. Traditionally, dedicated storage and loading facilities (infrastructure) have been designed and built to support a specific LNG production train and its associated byproducts. The State of Qatar's innovative approach has been the design and construction of a fully integrated common infrastructure to support all of the joint-venture-owned LNG production trains and other gas-related projects in Ras Laffan Industrial City (RLC). This paper will describe the unique aspects of this fully integrated infrastructure, its benefits, and the complexities and challenges associated with making the vision of a fully integrated LNG infrastructure come to fruition.

Impact of North Gas Field development on landuse/landcover changes at Al Khore, North Qatar, using remote sensing and GIS

Four dates of satellite images are utilized to monitor landuse/landcover changes at Al Khore municipality following discovering of the North Gas Field at the Northeast coast of the state of Qatar. Ras Laffan Port has been designed and purpose built primarily as the export facility for Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) derived from the processing of gas landed from the North Field Gas Reservoir situated 67 km NNE of the Port. Remote sensing data includes, MSS 1977, Landsat Thematic Mapper 1988 and 2000 and IRSS 2008. The rapid increase in population over the last three decades is attributed to the strong performance of the economy. At Al Khore, number of population increases from 31,547, 4.2% of total population in year 2004 to 50,917, 6.1% of total population in year 2006. Production Capacity of Ras Gas from the Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) increases from 6.6 million tons in year 1999 to 35.7 million tons in year 2012. Change detection is processed to assess the impact of Ras Laffan harbour on coastal changes. The most appropriate band combination, band ratios and images classifications were specified to enhance land cover in each image data. ArcGIS.9.3 is used to analyse, map and assess the current urban and regional planning. The results indicate that Al Khore master plan comes in response to rapid development of the state of Qatar, the most suitable regional plan should be suggested for sustainable development.

Efforts in the State of Qatar to conserve and monitor endangered marine turtles

Abstract Marine turtles are listed as endangered and they belong to Animal Kingdom phylum Chordata, class Reptilia and are descendants from early reptiles. Marine turtles are long-living and the females lay many eggs. Each year, thousands of hatchlings emerge from their nests along many coastlines across the world. Natural obstacles faced by young and adult sea turtles are numerous and on the increase, including natural predators and human exploitation. Unfortunately, only an estimated one in 1000 to 10000 will survive to adulthood. Together with marine biologists at Qatar University, studies on marine turtles in the State of Qatar were initiated in 2002, sponsored by Ras Laffan Industrial City. The outcome of the 2002 study provided the baseline data needed for subsequent studies. It has now been established that only one species of the endangered extant marine turtles, the Hawksbill turtle, nests in the Gulf area and in Qatar along the northeastern sandy beaches and islands (Ras Laffan, Fewairit, Al Maronah, Al Ghariyah, Jazirat Ras Rakan, Jazirat Umm Al Tays and Halul Island). Studies showed that Ras Laffan City is a major nesting area [No. of nests recorded since 2001: (2001: 74), (2002: 240), (2003:208), (2004: 190), (2005: 229), (2006:129), (2007:76), (2009: 72)]. An outcome of the studies since 2002 showed that females average clutch size varies between 65-78 eggs, which are incubated for 51-57 days in a nest temperature of 28.6⁰C – 33.3⁰C. Since 2009, efforts to monitor the nesting population along the Qatar coastline have started and the satellite tracking of females continues. This showed the females remain in the Gulf waters between Ras Laffan moving north (Kingdom Bahrain – Kingdom of Saudi Arabia) and south to the UAE. One tracked female travelled a maximum distance of 1917 km in 147 days. A number of females have been tagged to date, of which 3 tagged in 2005 returned to nest in 2009. Between 2009 and 2010 over 40 females were tagged.

Technology Focus: Reservoir Performance and Modeling (September 2010)

Technology Focus Understanding and management of subsurface uncertainties are crucial for successful development of early-phase projects. The development solution, drive mechanism, processing capacities, and number of slots needed all affect the net present value and the capital and operating expenses. Planning and execution of early-phase data acquisition and the effect these data have on late-life economics are a theme that deserves more attention. Concept selection is the most important part of an early-phase development from a subsurface point of view. Because of the high well cost, deepwater projects are sanctioned with few appraisal wells and limited dynamic information. The importance of an overall strategy to manage subsurface uncertainties is described in the paper regarding the development of the greater Plutonio area. Dynamic information, both horizontal and vertical permeability, is always on top of every reservoir engineer’s wish list. Wireline formation testing is a cost-effective way of addressing dynamic information, keeping in mind that an extended well test or a drillstem test is not always feasible for economic or practical purposes. Determination of remaining oil is key to increased oil recovery. A proactive approach to surveillance gives insight into the reservoir and has potential to mitigate unpleasant surprises. The paper describing the proactive well and reservoir management and the paper assessing fluid migration and quantifying remaining-oil saturation are both excellent examples of creating value through systematic reservoir surveillance. Reservoir Performance and Monitoring additional reading available at OnePetro: www.onepetro.org IPTC 13640 • “Successful Reservoir Monitoring With 4D Microgravity at Ras Laffan, State of Qatar” by A.F. AhmadZamri, SPE, RasGas Company, et al. IPTC 13185 • “Reservoir Modeling and Production Evaluation in Shale-Gas Reservoirs” by C.L. Cipolla, SPE, Carbo Ceramics, et al. SPE 127858 • “Perdido: The First Smart Field in the Western Hemisphere” by Robert K. Perrons, SPE, Shell. SPE 128137 • “Integrated-Production-Model Calibration Applied to a Gulf of Mexico Subsea Field” by L. Saputelli, SPE, Hess Corporation, et al.

Massive Milestone Qatar LNG Project Goes Forward

Qatar Petroleum and ExxonMobil officially inaugurated Train 6 of their Rasgas liquefied-natural-gas (LNG) project in Qatar in late October, boosting plans to produce 77 million tonnes per annum (t/a) of LNG from the Middle East state by the end of the decade. The train, which has a capacity of 7.8 million t/a, is one of the largest in the world and brings the overall LNG production capacity of RasGas to 28.5 million t/a. The milestone, which was marked by an inauguration ceremony on 27 October, was the result of a long-term development project involving major offshore and onshore construction, subsurface drilling, and engineering works. Train 6 is one of a new generation of LNG "mega trains," which are each capable of producing 7.8 million t/a of LNG. Its startup is expected to be followed by the coming on stream of Train 7, which also has a capacity of 7.8 million t/a, before the end of this year. The two new mega trains have been built at the RasGas site adjacent to its existing facilities at Ras Laffan Industrial City in Qatar. Both Trains 6 and 7 will be supplied with natural gas from Qatar's giant North Field, which is estimated to contain in excess of 900 Tcf of natural gas. The startup of Trains 6 and 7, which are owned by Ras Laffan Natural Gas Company 3 (in which Qatar Petroleum has a 70% share and ExxonMobil 30%), will allow RasGas to begin supplying LNG to new customers around the world, including the US and Asian markets. "Working in partnership with Qatar Petroleum, Ras Laffan 3 Train 6 represents yet another technological milestone that will help supply the growing global demand for clean-burning natural gas," said Neil Duffin, president of ExxonMobil Development Company. "Advanced technologies, strong project-execution skills, and economies of scale have reduced the cost of producing and transporting LNG, thereby extending our ability to bring LNG to more people around the world." The large production capacity is a big step up from the 4.7 million t/a that RasGas Trains 3, 4, and 5 each produced. "Train 6 is a clear demonstration of RasGas’ confidence and ambition," said Hamad Rashid Al Mohannadi, managing director and chief executive officer of RasGas. "It is time to recognize the skill, determination, and sheer hard work of everyone involved in delivering, safely and within budget, a very successful project outcome. "At this time, special recognition must also be made to our shareholders, Qatar Petroleum and ExxonMobil, who continue to demonstrate commitment and support each step of the way. Together, we can look to the future with great confidence." Al Mohannadi said that every aspect of the new train had to be scaled up, from pipeline diameters to power supply and everything in between. "RasGas’ project teams embraced these challenges and delivered excellent results," he added.

Pearl GTL - Assuring Success From the Beginning

This article, written by Senior Technology Editor Dennis Denney, contains highlights of paper SPE 118290, "Pearl GTL - Assuring Success From the Outset," by Andrew Brown, Qatar Shell GTL, prepared for the 2008 Abu Dhabi International Petroleum Exhibition and Conference, Abu Dhabi, 3–6 November. The paper has not been peer reviewed. The Pearl gas-to-liquid (GTL) plant will be the largest energy project in Qatar. In spite of various challenges that are intrinsic to such a project, Shell and Qatar Petroleum are confident of managing construction successfully.62 Offshore activities include drilling wells and constructing platforms and pipelines. Onshore, the detailed design is nearing completion, and procurement activities are proceeding. Introduction The Pearl GTL project is fully integrated upstream/downstream in Ras Laffan Industrial City, 80 km north of Doha. It will have capacity to produce 140,000 B/D of GTL products, including fuel oil, naphtha, kerosene, normal paraffin, and lubricants, as well as 120,000 bbl of oil equivalent per day of ethane, liquefied petroleum gas (LPG), and condensate. The project is being developed in two phases, with the first phase expected to start up in 2010. Overall, it is more than 50% complete. Project Description Upstream, the project involves offshore development of a North Field block to produce approximately 1.6 Bcf/D of gas. The offshore scope includes 22 development wells, two unmanned wellhead platforms in 30 m water depth and two 60-km-long 30-in. pipelines to shore. Onshore gas-processing facilities will treat the sour, rich wellhead gas to produce a sulfur-free, lean-gas feedstock for the GTL plant and treated ethane, LPG, condensate, and pure elemental sulfur as a by-product. The project uses proprietary Shell GTL technology, with 15 years of operational experience at the Bintulu, Malaysia, GTL plant. Although Pearl is approximately 10 times the size of Bintulu, scaleup was achieved by replicating smaller units, such as multiple parallel reactors, to minimize technical risk. A startup methodology has been applied from the outset, whereby potential problem conditions and flaws are identified and addressed. Work began in February 2002 with a scoping study. Project authorization was granted in July 2006. To counter constraints in the engineering, procurement, and construction, including a shortage of capacity in many areas and rising prices, a contracting strategy was applied that aimed at giving access to a wider range of contractor resources and creating competition, while retaining close control over areas in which proprietary technology was involved. Offshore Development The engineer, procure, construct, and install contract for two wellhead platforms was awarded in June 2006. The main initial focus was on the jackets and temporary drilling decks, which were installed in 28 to 35 m of water in March/April 2007 to allow early drilling activities. Meanwhile, work continues on fabrication of the two 2000-tonne topsides to meet the planned offshore-installation schedule once drilling is completed. Trenching/dredging began in 2008, and a pipe-laying barge is expected in early 2009.

Ecophysiology of Limonium axillare and Avicennia marina from the coastline of Arabian Gulf-Qatar

Attention is being focused on the coastline from Doha to Ras Laffan in Qatar since higher activities in the development of land and establishment of roads, highways and new buildings and houses is not coupled by serious studies on habitat destruction, fragmentation or disturbances. Ecophysiological study was carried out to investigate the adaptation of two halophytes (Limonium axillare and Avicennia marina) in this area, with special emphasis on the ultrastructure of salt glands found in the leaves. Soils in these locations accumulated much Na+ and Cl− as compared to other cations like K+, Ca2+ and Mg2+. Both plants accumulated higher concentrations of Na+ , Cl−, and Ca2+ and lower concentrations of K+ and Mg2+. Organic compounds found in leaves of these plants under their natural habitats including proline, soluble sugars and nitrogen, and photosynthetic pigments were determined. Scanning electron micrographs of the surface of leaves showed that salt glands of these plants are well developed. It is urgently required that exact vegetation maps, and monitoring exercises will be conducted, in order to document exactly the state of the vegetation in Qatar. Only this will allow the environment authorities to bring forward suggestions for vegetation and ecosystem management to the decision makers.

Feed-Gas Treatment Design for the Pearl GTL Project

This article, written by Assistant Technology Editor Karen Bybee, contains highlights of paper IPTC 10682, "Sustained Development in the Pearl GTL Treating Design," by H. Grootjans, Shell Global Solutions Intl. B.V., prepared for the 2005 International Petroleum Technology Conference, Doha, Qatar, 21–23 November. Feed gas for Shell's gas-to-liquids (GTL) project in Qatar must be treated to meet the stringent contaminant specifications for a modern GTL process. This gas that contains hydrogen sulfide (H2S), carbon dioxide (CO2), several mercaptan species, and carbonyl sulfide (COS) requires a series of treatment processes. These processes must be selected and integrated to provide a cost-effective treating complex that removes contaminants in an environmentally friendly way. The full-length paper details the process selection method, indicating the process options available and the environmental benefits achieved. Introduction The Pearl GTL project in Ras Laffan, Qatar, will consist of two trains that together will produce 140,000 B/D of middle distillates and base oils from natural gas using Shell GTL technology. In addition, the plant will produce significant quantities of condensate and liquefied petroleum gas (LPG). Startup of the project is targeted for late 2009. Feed gas is supplied from the North field. Before this sour feed gas can be processed in the downstream GTL units, it must be treated for deep contaminant removal to meet stringent specifications. Gas produced from the North field contains a range of sulfur components, such as H2S, COS, and several mercaptan species. The gas also contains CO2 and traces of mercury. Deep removal of all sulfur-containing components will be required as well as full removal of mercury. CO2 must be partly removed, and the gas will need to be dried to avoid freezing in the ethane- and LPG-extraction units. Because of the wide range of contaminants and deep level of removal required, it is not possible to treat the feed gas in a single unit. Fig. 1 shows an overall block scheme of the treating units. Process Selection For optimal treating-complex design, process selection for the individual units must be made on the basis of an integrated approach that considers interactions between units. Optimal process determination must consider the following.CO2 and sulfur dioxide emissions.Treating-unit operability over a range of feed gases.Treating-unit capital cost.Operating costs. The full-length paper details the background of two key-process selection decisions. The selection of these two processes was done in parallel to account for interactions between the two processes.

40 MIGD potabilization plant at Ras Laffan: design and operating experience

The potabilisation plant is an essential part of evaporative desalination plants facilities. Remineralization systems are designed and installed in the past years using different process approaches finalized to achieve satisfactory potable water properties with respect to corrosiveness and health aspects. The process developed for 40 MIGD Ras Laffan plant is based on calcium carbonate and CO 2 MSF vent gases addition followed by sodium hypochlorite from sea water electrochlorination blending and can be considered the most efficient system to match the best potable water quality. In this paper the process model is described and the simulation results are examined and compared with the field operating data.

Changes of microbial populations in a ship’s ballast water and sediments on a voyage from Japan to Qatar

Colony-forming eutrophic marine microorganisms in ballast water were counted in samples taken on board in 2002 and 2003. In the ballast water in Japan, viable cell numbers were highly variable but not by more than 10 5.1 colony-forming units (CFU) ml −1 regardless of season. Even when ballast water was discharged offshore, values varied but not by more than 10 5.0 CFU ml −1. The effectiveness of the ballast water exchange was unconfirmed, except for the February 2003 voyage. No microbial colonies were counted in the reloaded ballast water in the high seas on that voyage, which contributed to the reduction of the total number of viable cells sampled in the discharged ballast water at the Ras Laffan port in Qatar. In sediment samples, the values of 10 5.2–10 6.0 CFU ml −1 were estimated for all seasons in which voyages took place. The maximum of the marine Vibrio species, 110 CFU ml −1, was observed in the ballast water sample taken in July 2003. The estimated total viable cell numbers in sediments were higher than those counted in the ballast water throughout the experiments, indicating the importance of sediment management as well as ballast water management on vessels traveling from Japan.

Samsung books more orders

In response to the worlds growing demand for clean energy Shell has developed its Middle Distillate Synthesis (SMDS) technology. The experience gained in laboratory scale, pilot plants and more than 10 years operation of a 12,500 bbl/d (now 14,700 bbls/d) commercial scale plant in Bintulu, Malaysia, has proven crucial to develop the 140,000 bbl/d world-scale Pearl GTL plant now under construction in Ras Laffan Industrial City, Qatar. The paper reviews the development of the Shell GTL technology and illustrates how the lessons learned in Bintulu have been applied to contain the technical risks of this large world scale project.

Sumitomo, Shell study ethylene plant proposal

In response to the worlds growing demand for clean energy Shell has developed its Middle Distillate Synthesis (SMDS) technology. The experience gained in laboratory scale, pilot plants and more than 10 years operation of a 12,500 bbl/d (now 14,700 bbls/d) commercial scale plant in Bintulu, Malaysia, has proven crucial to develop the 140,000 bbl/d world-scale Pearl GTL plant now under construction in Ras Laffan Industrial City, Qatar. The paper reviews the development of the Shell GTL technology and illustrates how the lessons learned in Bintulu have been applied to contain the technical risks of this large world scale project.