Congrats - Qatar is worlds top Gas exporter

Qatar today celebrates its landmark achievement of producing 77mn tonnes of LNG per annum

Qatar has reached a key milestone in the global liquefied natural gas (LNG) industry by achieving 77mn tonnes annual export capacity and a customer network in all corners of the world.
Qatar’s foray into the global LNG market was realised with the shipment of the first output from a Qatargas plant in October 1996 to Japan’s Chubu Electric Power.
The production from the other Qatari LNG producer, RasGas began in June 1999.
Qatar now supplies LNG to customers in some 23 countries in four continents.
Currently, Qatar is the world’s largest exporter and tran-shipper of liquefied natural gas. The 77mn tonnes per year (tpy) capacity is met by 14 trains, seven each at Qatargas and RasGas.
Six of these are “mega trains”, each with a 7.8mn tpy annual capacity.
At the peak of their capacity, Qatargas contracted LNG exports would reach 40mn tpy and RasGas 37mn tpy.
Qatar’s North Field, discovered in 1971, is the largest non-associated gas field in the world, with proven reserves estimated at more than 902tn cu ft (tcf), the equivalent of about 162bn barrels of oil. Qatar also holds the world’s third largest gas reserves after Russia and Iran.
Since the first drop of LNG was produced 14 years ago, Qatar has grown its capacity steadily, realising the vision of HH the Emir, Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa al-Thani.
Qatar has set up a world-class port at Ras Laffan to reach LNG to customers around the world. Ras Laffan Port began operations in September 1996. Since then, the port and its berth facilities have been improved significantly.
With four operational LNG berths, Ras Laffan Port is already the world’s top liquefied natural gas exporting facility.
The country has made huge investments in a fleet of specialist, state-of-the-art LNG carriers in line with its commitment of “being a reliable supplier”.
Qatar Gas Transport Company’s (Nakilat) multi-billion dollar investment in a fleet of LNG carriers is considered the largest single merchant shipbuilding programme since the Second World War, during which the US commissioned a new fleet to replace vessels destroyed in the conflict.
Nakilat has built a large fleet of vessels to transport LNG produced from the North Field, the world’s largest non-associated gas field with about 15% of the world’s proven reserves, to global markets.
By 2010-end, Nakilat will own 54 LNG vessels, making it the largest LNG ship owner in the world. They comprise both Q-Flex and Q-Max, a new generation of LNG mega-ship with about 40% lower energy requirements and carbon emissions than conventional vessels due to the economies of scale created by their size and the efficiency of the engines.
Today, Qatar formally celebrates its landmark achievement at a high-profile ceremony that will be held at the Ras Laffan Industrial City (RLC).
The event will be held under the patronage of HH the Emir, Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa al-Thani and hosted by HE the Deputy Premier and Energy Minister, Abdullah bin Hamad al-Attiyah.
The event will see guests from Qatar as well as the four corners of the world, particularly the 23 countries to which Qatar currently exports LNG.

http://www.gulf-times.com/site/topics/article.asp?cu_no=2&item_no=404333...