The President inaugurates 1st phase of liquefied gas exportation in Shabwa
The Source: www.almotamar.net - 20/11/2008
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President Ali Abdullah Saleh on Wednesday inaugurated the first phase
of the project for Liquefied Natural Gas LNG exportation at the area of
Belhaf in Shavwa governorate, Yemen.
The phase includes the reaching of LNG from gas fields from block 18 in
Safer, Mareb through a pipeline extending from Safer to the area of
Belhaf port on the coast of the Arabian Sea. The 322km-long pipeline
extends from Safer to installations of liquefaction and exportation in
Belhaf.
As soon as his arrival the President made a tour of parts of the project inspecting progress of work there in its final stages.
President Saleh listened to explanation presented by director of the
project Mr Patrick Logout on phases of accomplishment in the project
which is composed of two LNG liquefaction factories with a capacity of
6 million and 900 thousand tons of LNG per year at a rate of 3 million
and 450 thousand tons of each factory , two of LNG 140 thousand cubic
metres-capacity tanks , a 680m-long sea wharf for loading LNG tankers
in addition to other facilities including an airport, houses for
workers in the project, administration buildings and maintenance
workshops in addition to requirements for operating the plants. The
project also includes all units for LNG liquefaction before
exportation.
President Saleh turned the wheel of operation as a sign of the
beginning of the first phase of the project and the gas reaching to
plants of liquefaction and lighting the torch of gas in the project. It
is scheduled that the exportation process to begin next May.
The President gave statements to local, Arab and world media in which
he expressed his happiness over inauguration of the project's 1st phase
and said by opening this stage, four power-generating stations will be
operated at a capacity of 80 megawatt. He added that immediately after
finishing the second phase of the project LNG will flow into he tanks
in the project of exportation in Belhaf area. President Saleh said the
first shipment of LNG will be exported the beginning of next May.
Affirming that the benefit will be for Yemen and the companies partners
in the project, at the forefront of which is TOTAL Company. President
Saleh added that this project is considered the first of its kind in
the Middle East region and would be an important factor for the process
of development in Yemen and vital contributor to provide jobs for the
Yemeni labour.
The President has then watched a panoramic view of all components of
the project whose cost amounts to about $4 billion and is one of the
hugest strategic investment projects.
President Saleh then visited the offices of the Yemeni Company for LNG
and met chairman of board of directors of the French TOTAL Company,
discussing with him the existing cooperation of Yemen with the TOTAL
Company and renewed his welcome of French investments in Yemen ,among
them TOTAL Company.
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