The Foundation Stone for Dolphin Energy’s Gas Processing Plant in Qatar was formally laid Sunday in Ras Laffan Industrial City by the Heir Apparent of Qatar, Sheikh Tamim Bin Hamad Al Thani.
The ceremony was attended by the UAE Minister of Energy, Mohammed Bin Dhaen Al Hamli, and by Qatar’s 2nd Deputy Premier and Minister of Energy & Industry, Abdulla Bin Hamad Al Attiyah – as well as government officials, sheikhs and industry peers from both countries.
It commemorated the construction of the $1.6 billion Gas Processing Plant – which is being built by JGC Corporation of Japan, and supplied with gas turbines by Rolls Royce of UK, under contracts awarded in January 2004.
This facility will process raw gas from Qatar’s North Field – removing valuable by-products such as condensates and LPGs for international sale. The resulting refined gas will then flow over 370 kilometers through Dolphin’s dedicated Export Pipeline to Abu Dhabi, for distribution to customers throughout the UAE.
In his speech to the 500-plus guests, on behalf of the UAE Government, Mr Al Hamli emphasized: “Qatari gas is an ideal source of clean, secure and reliable energy for the United Arab Emirates. Dolphin Energy’s gas, which will be available in large quantities for a long period of time, will support our current and future industrial growth.”
For the Government of Qatar, Mr Al Attiyah stated: “The Dolphin Gas Project is an example of the strong cooperation among the GCC nations within the energy industry. It will create economic benefits which will create the potential for further investment. This in turn will create employment opportunities and develop energy markets.”
Dolphin Energy Limited was created to develop substantial energy projects throughout the GCC. Its objective is to create long-term economic wealth and new business opportunities for GCC citizens, far into the future.
Dolphin Energy’s major strategic initiative, the Dolphin Project, involves the production and processing of natural gas from Qatar’s North Field, and transportation of the dry gas by pipeline to the UAE, beginning in 2006.
Dolphin Energy’s first initiative, the Al Ain to Fujairah Pipeline, came on stream in January 2004.The pipeline supplies the Fujairah Water and Power Plant on the UAE’s East Coast – initially with natural gas from Oman, and subsequently with Dolphin gas from Qatar.
Dolphin Energy is owned 51 percent by Mubadala Development Company, on behalf of the Government of Abu Dhabi – and 24.5 percent each by Total of France and Occidental Petroleum of
