Qatargas has taken a major step towards completing work for its Qatargas 3 and Qatargas 4 ventures with the ‘Mechanical Acceptance’ and handover of  the first of three offshore gas production platforms, known as ‘QW8’, from contractor, J. Ray McDermott (JRM).

A signing ceremony has been held recently at Qatargas Headquarters in Ras Laffan Industrial City to mark the occasion. Peter Flanagan, on behalf of the Qatargas 3&4 (QG3&4) Joint Asset Development Team (JADT), and Richard Withers, on behalf of JRM, signed the Mechanical Acceptance Certificate in front of colleagues from QG3&4’s Senior Leadership Team, QG3&4 Offshore Project Management Team, Qatargas Operations and Qatargas Expansion Start-Up Unit (ESU).

The offshore facilities are located 65 kilometers north of Ras Laffan, in Qatar’s North Field. The total facilities comprise three 2,200-ton platforms, 33 gas wells and two 65 kilometer pipelines, which are shared by the separate Qatargas 3 and Qatargas 4 ventures. The offshore assets will deliver gas to two liquefied natural gas (LNG) mega-trains at Ras Laffan, one each owned by Qatargas 3 and Qatargas 4. Each train will be capable of producing 7.8 million tones of LNG, plus other associated products, annually. The trains are due to start production by the last quarter of 2010.

Immediately following the ceremony, Bill Boyington officially transferred care, custody and control of the platform to Qatargas ESU.

Clay Fryer, QG3&4 JADT Offshore Project Management Topsides Engineering Lead, who has led design of the facilities since the front-end engineering design (‘FEED’) stage, said:

“The Project is proud of the “finished product” which is the result of an excellent partnership between the Offshore team and our prime contractor.  The Project takes great pride in delivering these facilities, and we wish Qatargas great success in starting up and operating them for many years to come.”