Qatar- Gasal to produce hydrogen at its Mesaieed and Ras Laffan plants 

(MENAFN - Gulf Times) After successfully establishing the supply network and delivering key industrial gases such as oxygen, nitrogen and argon to Qatar's oil, gas and petrochemical sectors, Gasal is now looking to produce hydrogen at its Mesaieed and Ras Laffan facilities.

Gasal, a Qatar Petroleum (30.5%), Air Liquide (40%) and Qatar Industrial Manufacturing (29.5%) joint venture, currently produces 1,500 tonnes per day (tpd) of oxygen and 2,500tpd of nitrogen besides some quantities of argon at its production facilities at Mesaieed and Ras Laffan.

"We are building up to diversify into production of hydrogen and other gases as well," said Gasal chief executive officer Christian Last.

"The scope of our business is to sell the much-needed industrial gases within Qatar. We are unique in the sense the gases are produced and sold locally. All our output is now to the benefit of the local industry," Last said in an interview with Gulf Times.

Set up in 2006, Gasal first settled in Mesaieed Industrial City with its anchor client Qatar Steel. Gasal operations began in Mesaieed in
2006 and in Ras Laffan in 2008.

In April 2008, Gasal commissioned a new Air Separation Unit in Mesaieed and subsequently completed the installation of the country's first nitrogen pipeline network supplying the downstream refining and chemical industries in the area. Gasal has a 10km pipeline in Mesaieed to supply gaseous nitrogen.

The joint venture also supplies liquid nitrogen and oxygen in the area via bulk trailers and site storage tanks.

Besides Qatar Steel, Gasal's Mesaieed-based customers include Qatofin, QP NGL, Q-Chem, Qapco and QVC.

Gasal's second operational plant is in Ras Laffan Industrial City where it has made significant investments in production and distribution facilities to supply oxygen and nitrogen to customers such as Oryx GTL and RLOC.

"We are currently designing and executing a wider pipeline network in Ras Laffan of about 25km of multiple products. So it will be more than one pipeline. The routing has been approved in Ras Laffan.

"We will compete to connect all major customers in Ras Laffan," Last said.
Another key milestone achieved by Gasal is five years without lost time incidents (LTIs).

"In Gasal we work to global safety standards. We do not compromise either on safety or quality. Reliability of supply is another core value for us. Indeed these have won us many customers and stand us in good stead in Qatar's rapidly developing industrial sectors," Last added.

Gasal will celebrate its five years of LTI at a ceremony at the Grand Hyatt this evening. Senior QP and Air Liquide executives are among the dignitaries expected to attend.