GE has stamped its presence in Qatar with its involvement in major projects in the gas and metals fields and its technology initiative at the Qatar Science and Technology Park.

Under a multi-year contractual service agreement it signed in June of last year with RasGas Company covering LNG trains 6 and 7 and Al Khaleej Gas Plant-2, GE will help improve the reliability of LNG and gas production and help minimise equipment downtime at the RasGas complex in Ras Laffan Industrial City which is a major contributor to Qatar’s economic growth.
An LNG train is a chain of equipment including a gas turbine which is used to convert natural gas to liquid form, thereby reducing the volume of the gas and making it easier to ship large quantities of LNG.
Similar agreements were previously signed for RasGas LNG trains 1-5 and AKG Plant 1, bringing GE’s total services commitment at the site to more than $1 billion.
RasGas said the latest agreement built upon the strong relationship that the company had forged with GE over the years and was critical for the Qatari company to have access to proven technology and world-class services customised to specific needs, allowing it to maintain production reliability and the supply of clean and efficient energy.

Qatalum
The other significant agreement was signed with Qatalum in August of the same year. GE will help ensure the reliability and efficiency of Qatalum’s power supply which is critical to the success of the aluminium smelter. The 16-year contractual services agreement calls on GE to supply a full range of services for GE gas turbines at the Qatalum power plant which will generate approximately 1,250 MW of power for the aluminium smelter located in Mesaieed.
In a consortium with Doosan Heavy Industries, GE won the contract to supply four GE 9FA-class gas turbines for the facility which will provide high levels of efficiency in combined cycle operations through the advanced combustion system hardware designed to significantly reduce gas turbine emissions.
Qatalum, a joint venture between Qatar Petroleum and Norsk Hydro Aluminium, will produce 585,000 tonnes of aluminium annually.

Centre of Excellence
“GE is working to help deliver custom solutions that will meet the local needs of communities throughout the country.  By sharing our various technologies, partnering together in diverse ventures, and prioritising investments in infrastructure, technology and education, both GE and Qatar have benefited greatly from numerous collaborations and partnerships in these sectors,” said a GE spokesperson.
“Our close ties have lead to the creation of a Centre of Excellence for GE Oil & Gas in the Middle East, which will support both emerging markets and the region’s fast-growing refinery industry. GE has also made a significant five-year investment of $50 million in research and training for the GE Advanced Technology and Research Centre in the Qatar Science & Technology Park.”