World-scale petrochemical plant in Ras Laffan with 1.4Mta of ethylene capacity scheduled for completion in 2018.

Qatar Petroleum and Qapco have signed a Heads of Agreement to develop a new petrochemical complex in Ras Laffan Industrial City, Qatar. The complex will feature a “world-scale” steam cracker, which will be supplied with feedstock from natural gas plants in Ras Laffan.

According to a release, the plant will have a capacity of 1.4Mta of ethylene, 0.85Mta of HDPE, 0.43Mta of linear LDPE, 0.76Mta polypropylene and 83,000tpa of butadiene.

The project, which be jointly operated by Qatar Petroleuem and Qapco, is scheduled for completion in 2018. Qatar Petroleum has an 80% equity interest in the project, with Qapco holding the remainder. The plant’s output “will be marketed primarily in high-growth markets in Asia, Africa and Latin America”.