Pearl GTL Project

In July 2006, Qatar Petroleum (QP) and Royal Dutch Shell announced the launch of the Pearl Gas to Liquids (GTL) project in Ras Laffan Industrial City, Qatar. The project will accelerate the strategy of diversifying natural gas usage and will serve to promote Qatar's ambition of being the GTL capital of the world.

Facts & Figures -

1. The Pearl GTL project comprises the development of upstream gas production facilities as well as an onshore GTL plant that will produce 140,000 barrels per day (bpd) of GTL products as well as approximately 120,000 bpd of associated condensate and liquefied petroleum gas. The project includes the development of a block within Qatar's vast North Field gas reserves (the largest single non-associated gas field in the world).
2. The plot size of 1.6 x 1.4 kilometres is more than 450 football fields.
3. The project will require 3000 items of equipment including - pumps, compressors, columns, and vessels.
4. The project will cost anything between $14bn and $18bn before its 2010 opening. Costs have skyrocketed since the project was first initialed (original estimate - approx $6bn). With inflation now at the highest levels, the prices of every resource (material, manpower, equipment) that goes into the construction of what promises to be a modern day marvel have shot up multifold.
5. During the construction phase, the project will employ around 35,000 staff.