RasGas LNG facility

In a statement, Qatar's RasGas has said that it has started output of liquefied natural gas (LNG) from a new production company.

RasGas, one of two LNG producers in Qatar, is the world's largest LNG exporter and holder of the world's third-largest gas reserves. Qatar is hoping that an increased LNG output will help its economy grow 16 percent in 2010, surpassing its oil export dependent neighbours.

RasGas train 7 has capacity to chill enough natural gas to produce 7.8 million tonnes per year (tpy) of LNG for export on specially designed tankers. Qatar started three equally large facilities last year, Arabian Oil and Gas states.

A RasGas official reported last month that the gas supply to each of the giant plants for one day alone is enough to supply 22,000 homes for a year.

"Train 7 is a clear demonstration of RasGas' confidence and ambition," Hamad al-Mohannadi, managing director of RasGas, said in a statement. "These mega facilities are the embodiment of a bold investment and the culmination of years of technological development and preparation."

Output increase

The new facility will enable RasGas to increase their output capacity to 36.3 million tpy, RasGas said in the statement.

Exxon Mobil owns 30 percent of the plant, while state run energy giant Qatar Petroleum owns the rest. Qatar's other producer of LNG is Qatargas, which expects to start two more LNG trains of equal size this year.

When those trains start up, Qatar would have reached its target annual capacity of 77 million tonnes of LNG and end a massive expansion plan that has seen it become the top LNG exporter after shipping its first cargo just 14 years ago.

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