Qatar’s RasGas has announced the awarding of two major contracts for its Helium 3 project.
While it awarded the Sales and Purchase Agreement (SPA) contract to Air Products, the Engineering, Procurement and Construction (EPC) contract went to Chiyoda AlMana.
‘This milestone reasserts Qatar’s position as one of the world’s leading helium producers and exporters’, RasGas said in a statement.
The new Helium 3 plant which is expected to produce up to 0.4bn standard cubic feet of liquid helium per annum, will be located in Qatar’s Ras Laffan Industrial City and is expected to become operational in early 2018.
In addition to being awarded the SPA contract for the long-term helium supply, Air Products was also awarded the Technology License to supply the helium licensor package equipment for the new Helium 3 plant.
Qatar Petroleum (QP) President and CEO, Saad Sherida Al-Kaabi, described the signing of the agreements as an important building block for Qatar’s third Helium project.
Al-Kaabi also thanked RasGas for its efforts in achieving Helium 3, thus contributing to the optimisation of Qatar’s North Field resources, and realising the elements of Qatar National Vision 2030 to build a better future for generations to come.
“The Helium 3 project’s source of supply is unique, with extraction processes unlike any of the previous two helium plants. This is a new achievement for RasGas, and I am pleased with our ability to leverage existing available capabilities in the country,” said Hamad Mubarak Al-Muhannadi, CEO of RasGas.
The Helium 3 Project will be managed and operated by RasGas on behalf of Barzan shareholders, QP and ExxonMobil in recognition of RasGas’ experience in the execution and operation of Helium plants in Qatar.
RasGas also manages and operates Ras Laffan Helium 1 and 2. Helium 2 set a record by hitting 100% production capacity, less than a year after its start up.
