Rasgas LNG Terminal 2

From SourceWatch
Jump to navigation Jump to search
This article is part of the Global Fossil Infrastructure Tracker, a project of Global Energy Monitor and the Center for Media and Democracy.
Sub-articles:

Rasgas LNG Terminal 2 is an LNG terminal in Al Khawr, Qatar.

Location

Loading map...

Project Details

  • Parent: Qatar Petroleum, ExxonMobil
  • Location: Ras Laffan Industrial City, Al Khawr, Qatar
  • Coordinates: 25.891, 51.5457 (exact)
  • Capacity: 14.1 mtpa, 2.02 bcfd
  • Status: Operating
  • Type: Export
  • Start Year: 2004

Note: mtpa = million tonnes per year; bcfd = billion cubic feet per day

Background

Rasgas LNG Terminal 2 is an LNG terminal in Al Khawr, Qatar.[1]

In March 2001, Ras Laffan LNG 2 was established to run trains 3, 4 and 5. The trains are the plants plant's liquefaction and purification facilities.[2]

Qatargas and Rasgas produces Qatar's LNG production. State-owned Qatar Petroleum owns a majority stake in both companies. Qatar Petroleum owns 70 percent of RasGas. ExxonMobil owns the reminder.[3] At the end of 2016 Qatar announced to merge its state-owned natural gas firms, Qatargas and RasGas in order to cut costs.[4]

Media outlets reported in 2017 that the global over supply of natural gas has buyers in a good position to negotiate price. India’s state run Petronet have renegotiated price cuts with Rasgas. Similarly, Poland’s PGNiG also negotiated price cuts with Qatargas.[5]

Qatar LNG

Iran and Qatar own the South Pars/North Field, the world's largest natural gas field. This field plays a central role in Qatar and Iran's foreign and domestic policy.[6]

Qatari discovery in 1971 of its side of the South Pars/North Field coincided with its year of independence. The gas field has been instrumental in state building, sovereignty, and the primary contributor to the GDP. Natural gas also indirectly drives many foreign policy initiatives for Qatar. This includes foreign aid and education initiatives.[6]

In 1996, Qatar planned to export its natural gas to nearby GCC countries (Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates). Qatar's natural gas export to GCC faced transit rights and pricing problems and border disputes. Qatar's exports now reach the UK, China, India and Japan.[6]

Qatar's energy policy is closely aligned to its investment policy through the national sovereign wealth fund, the Qatar Investment Authority. The investment fund reinvests oil and gas revenue in Europe and North America.[6]

The US shale gas boom since 2008 and lagging European markets stagnation have left Qatar dependent on the increasingly competitive Asian gas market for LNG customers.[7]

As of 2017, Qatar remains the top LNG exporter. The country exports almost 80 million tons a year. [8]

Articles and resources

References

  1. Rasgas LNG Terminal 2, A Barrel Full, accessed April 2017
  2. About Us, RasGas, accessed August 2017
  3. Reuters Staff, "FACTBOX-Oil majors' investments in countries involved in Qatar row," Reuters, July 5, 2017.
  4. Karen Thomas, "Qatargas and RasGas complete first coloading of LNG," LNG World Shipping, August 21, 2017.
  5. "The five stages of LNG grief," Hellenic Shipping News, September 29, 2017.
  6. 6.0 6.1 6.2 6.3 Susan Kurdli, "The energy factor in the GCC crisis," Al Jazerra, July 28, 2017.
  7. "Qatargas/RasGas LNG merger driven by need to cut costs," S&P Global Platts , December, 2017.
  8. Diane Munro, [http://www.agsiw.org/qatar-moves-ensure-lng-dominance/ "Qatar Moves to Ensure LNG Dominance ,"] Arab Gulf States Institute in Washington, April 17, 2017.

Related SourceWatch articles

External resources

External articles