QP and Hydro to build aluminium plant
Posted: 27 March 2006
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Qatar Petroleum and Hydro have formed a joint venture to construct and operate a world-class aluminium plant in Qatar.
Qatalum, the joint venture company, will see the building of primary aluminium plant comprised of a smelter, a casthouse and a carbon plant as well as a dedicated power plant.
The project, to be located in the Mesaieed Industrial City in Qatar, will be the largest initial phase greenfield aluminium smelter ever built. The plant could be expanded to an annual capacity of approximately 1.2 million tonnes.
The smelter will have an annual capacity of 585,000 tonnes of primary aluminium. The dedicated gas power plant has a planned installed capacity of 1,350 MW.
Qatar Petroleum and Hydro will each hold 50 percent of the new company. Construction will begin mid-2007 with full production expected in mid-2010. Start production is scheduled in 2009.
The agreement was signed in Doha by HE Abdullah Bin Hamad Al-Attiyah, Qatar’s Second Deputy Premier, Minister of Energy and Industry, Chairman of the Board of Directors and Managing Director of Qatar Petroleum, and Hydro President and CEO Eivind Reiten.
Strategic tandem
The Qatalum project is based on strong strategic fundamentals, Hydro said in a statement. “While Qatar Petroleum is providing a unique combination of long-term competitive energy resources and location to accommodate this large project; Hydro is a technology leader in the aluminium industry,” it added.
HE Abdullah Bin Hamad Al-Attiyah said: “ Qatar offers the best conditions for this kind of industrial development. The policy of the Government of Qatar is to broaden the industrial base of the country, ensuring the best environmental standards and working conditions. Qatar is an ideal location for serving growing aluminium markets in Asia, Europe and also North America. The vast gas resources of Qatar, combined with the country’s ambition to diversify its industry, will ensure a long-term competitive aluminium plant.”
Hydro President and CEO Eivind Reitena added: “This project represents a key element in Hydro’s strategy to reposition our upstream aluminium business, expanding production in energy-rich parts of the world. Qatalum will be an important contributor to improve Hydro’s relative cost position in production of primary aluminium and to meet the future growth in demand.”
Posted by Editor Pipeline Magazine
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