QAPCO's polyethylene project to be completed on schedule

16-Apr-07

Qatar Petrochemical Co. (QAPCO)'s that a US$1.2 billion polyethylene plant is due to commence on schedule in H2-2008. The PE plant is a joint venture with France's Total TOTF.PA and will have an annual production capacity of 450,000 tpa of low density polyethylene, that could later get scaled to 600,000 tons.QAPCO has a 63% stake in the project, Total holds 36% and the balance 1% is owned by Qatar Petroleum. QAPCO - an 80:20 joint venture between Industries Qatar IQCD and Total Petrochemicals, aims to eventually produce 1.2 million tpa of low density polyethylene. QAPCO's plans to raise production capacity at Mesaieed to 720,000 tpa from 525,000 tpa is being augmented by a US $220 million ethylene plant. due to be completed this year. QAPCO is studying setting up a polyethylene plant, called plant number 3, with an estimated design capacity of 250,000 tpa of low density polyethylene that can be increased to 650,000 tons, scheduled to come on stream in Q4-2010.