Qatar’s RLOC and Qatofin to decide on expansions by end of year

18 May 2011 15:29  [Source: ICIS news]

COLOGNE (ICIS)--Ras Laffan Olefins Co (RLOC) and Qatofin are expected to decide on their proposed cracker and linear low density polyethylene (LLDPE) expansions in Qatar by the end of the year, an executive with Total Petrochemicals said on Wednesday.

Qatofin, which is a joint venture between Total Petrochemicals (36%), QAPCO (63%) and Qatar Petroleum (1%), is studying an expansion of its new 450,000 tonne/year LLDPE plant in Mesaieed to 600,000 tonnes/year, said Graeme Burnett, senior vice president for Asia and the Middle East at Brussels-headquartered Total Petrochemicals.

Ethylene feedstock for the expansion would be supplied by RLOC, a joint venture between Qatofin and Q-Chem II. RLOC is studying an expansion of its 1.3m tonne/year cracker in Ras Laffan to 1.45m-1.6m tonnes/year, Burnett told ICIS on the sidelines of the Global Petrochemicals annual meeting, organised by the World Refining Association (WRA).

He noted that the additional ethylene output from the RLOC expansion would be split between RLOC’s shareholders, Qatofin and Q-Chem II.

Q-Chem II is a joint venture between Qatar Petroleum and US-based Chevron Phillips Chemical.

The studies for the RLOC ethylene expansion and the Qatofin LLDPE expansion will determine the timing and cost of the projects, as well the size of the ethylene expansion, Burnett said.

Total Petrochemicals has also been in talks with Qatar Petroleum about a new cracker project in Ras Laffan but has yet to sign an agreement.

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By: Anna Jagger
+44 20 8652 3214

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