Doha: Qatar Petrochemical Company (Qapco) announced yesterday that it will inaugurate its third low-density polyethylene plant on November 20 at Mesaieed Industrial City.
Qapco’s preparations are almost complete for what promises to be a memorable inauguration for its new state-of-the-art petrochemical facility, the QR2.3bn LDPE 3, the company said in a press briefing yesterday.
The statement added: “Qapco considers the LDPE 3 facility as another step in the company’s role towards fulfilling the economic diversification goals of the Qatar National Vision 2030. While the country is blessed with ample hydrocarbon resources, the added value lays in the refined product.
“Low Density Polyethylene, or LDPE, is the raw material required to manufacture most thermoplastic-based products. This includes items such as packaging films, agricultural film, extrusion and coating lamination film, high clarity film, injection molding, pipes, cables, wires, and other related products. The new facility will produce prime high pressure grade LDPE than existing Qapco facilities, thus positioning the company as a global leader in LDPE production.”
Currently, Qapco’s manufacturing facilities consist of an 800KTPA (kilo-tonne per annum) ethylene plant, a 70KTPA sulphur processing facility, and two pre-existing LDPE plants, with a capacity of 400,000mtpa. While the LDPE 3 facility came fully online, it is designed to take advantage of the company’s excess ethylene feedstock, it will be producing 300,000 metric tonnes of LDPE per annum; thus increasing Qapco’s annual production of LDPE to 700,000 metric tonnes per annum.
LDPE 3 was conceptualised in 2002, when the company laid out its growth strategy and identified a high potential for the feasibility of launching this project to satisfy the growing global demand of the LDPE product. Construction began in 2009 when the foundation stone was laid by the Heir Apparent H H Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, with construction taking three years. Testing and commissioning has already been completed, and with operating parameter normalised, the facility has been producing commercial prime grade LDPE since the mid-August, 2012.
QNA
