Qatar Petroleum mulling LNG boost

Qatar Petroleum (QP) announced on Wednesday that it is exploring the possibility of raising production at its LNG trains in order to accommodate increased output at its North Field.

In early April, QP ended a self-imposed moratorium on development in the North Field and said it was planning to add some 400,000 boepd to its output over the next 5-7 years.

The company has signed an agreement with Japan’s Chiyoda Corporation to study options for debottlenecking facilities located in Ras Laffan Industrial City, QP added in a press release. The study is to be completed this year, allowing FEED work to start next year if the project receives a green light.

“[A]s part of its efforts to reinforce Qatar’s leading position in the global gas industry, this agreement provides Qatar Petroleum with the option of increasing its LNG production with minimum investment, by leveraging the existing massive, world-class infrastructure and valuable synergies available in Ras Laffan Industrial City,” President and CEO Saad Sherida Al Kaabi said in the statement.

“Qatar Petroleum is determined to continue its lead position in the gas industry with its expansion plans, both inside and outside the State of Qatar,” he added.