Qatar International Petroleum Marketing Company Ltd (Tasweeq) sold its first cargo of GTL Naphtha, from the worlds largest gas-to-liquids (GTL) plant, Pearl GTL, located in Qatar.
Qatar has appointed its state-owned marketing company Tasweeq to be the sole marketer of GTL Naphtha, the latest addition to Tasweeq's "Regulated products".
GTL Naphtha is a premium feedstock for the petrochemical industry. It has a high paraffinic content of more than 90 percent and contains virtually no sulphur, which is highly valued by steam cracker operators due to its high yields of olefins (ethylene and propylene).
Saad Al Kuwari, Chief Executive Officer, Tasweeq said: "Qatar has entrusted Tasweeq with the sale of GTL Naphtha; thus adding to the array of energy products that Tasweeq markets and sells across the globe. Tasweeq is expected to market approximately 1 million tonnes per year of Pearl GTL Naphtha to key markets around the world. We are keen to continue introducing GTL Naphtha to the petrochemical and energy markets."
Andy Brown, Qatar Shell GTL Limited Executive Vice President, said: "This is an important milestone as it provides further evidence that Pearl GTL is on track and production is ramping up with the first shipment of a new product - GTL Naphtha - following the first shipment of GTL Gasoil in June. Our plant will produce significant quantities of GTL Naphtha, a product which can yield eight per cent more high value chemicals than standard naphtha."
In March 2011, gas began flowing from wells 60km offshore. Then the gas processing plant began producing condensate, LPG, sulphur and gas for the GTL process. The GTL plant, which employs Shell proprietary technology, was brought into production in May and converts the gas and oxygen to GTL wax. In the last step of the process, the waxes are cracked and distilled into finished GTL products.
Pearl GTL is expected to produce a number of high-quality GTL products for sale in oil product markets around the world: GTL Kerosene for blending into a clean burning aviation fuel; GTL Gasoil, a clean-burning diesel-type automotive fuel; GTL Base Oils for premium lubricants; GTL Normal Paraffin for detergents; and GTL Naphtha, a high-paraffin feedstock for the petrochemical industry.
