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Qatar: start-up of world’s largest helium

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   (https://www.engineering-airliquide.com/contact-us) Air Liquide partners with Samsung

Engineering for a Methanol plant in
  Sarawak, Malaysia
(https://www.engineering-
airliquide.com/air-liquide-partners-
Air Liquide recently started up the world’s largest helium purification and samsung-engineering-methanol-
liquefaction unit, a turnkey project at Ras Laffan Industrial City, Qatar. The plant-sarawak-malaysia)
new unit’s production capacity is approximately 38 million cubic meters of
helium per year. The high technologies Air Liquide uses to purify and liquefy
helium at a very low temperature (-269°C) are proprietary. The liquefaction Air Liquide Engineering &

equipment is the world’s largest, measuring 20 metres long and more than 8 Construction supports

metres high. This helium liquefier is operated by RasGas. decarbonization of Zeeland Refinery
(https://www.engineering-
The combined production capacity of this new unit and the existing unit on airliquide.com/air-liquide-
this site will be approximately 58 million cubic meters per year, making Qatar engineering-construction-supports-
the world’s second largest producer of helium with 25% of current global decarbonization-zeeland-refinery)
production.

Air Liquide supports the

Under a long-term agreement with RasGas and Qatargas, Air Liquide will
development of a liquid hydrogen
purchase 50% of the helium volumes produced by this new unit and the
plant in South Korea
existing one. Access to this major helium source will position the Group as
(https://www.engineering-
one of the main players in the worldwide helium market.
airliquide.com/air-liquide-supports-
This start-up marks the next step toward helium market stability. World development-liquid-hydrogen-plant-
demand for helium has remained robust in the last ten years, while helium is south-korea)
scarce worldwide. Helium plays a critical role in a wide array of products. Key
uses include MRI scanners, semiconductors, fiber optic cable, space
Air Liquide Engineering &
exploration, scientific research, air-bag production and professional
Construction signs new contract
hyperbaric diving.
with long standing customer in
South Korea
(https://www.engineering-
airliquide.com/air-liquide-
engineering-construction-signs-
Hamad Rashid Al Mohannadi, RasGas Chief Executive Officer and Vice new-contract-long-standing-
Chairman of Qatar Petroleum (QP) said, “The Helium 2 plant, which broke customer-south-korea)
ground in May 2010, is the second helium project to be built in Qatar, and we
are very pleased to report that in over 5 million man hours worked to
Air Liquide Engineering &
complete this project, we have maintained a lost time incident rate (LTIR) of
Construction signs a new supply
zero. Achieving such a remarkable milestone is a clear testimony to RasGas’
contract in China
commitment to creating and maintaining a safe work environment in a
(https://www.engineering-
complex construction project that involved thousands of contractors and
airliquide.com/air-liquide-
employees.”
engineering-construction-signs-
new-supply-contract-china)
François Darchis, Senior Vice-President, Air Liquide Group, and a member
of the Executive Committee, commented: “I would like to thank RasGas for
its trust, as well as the many dedicated people who have inspired and
contributed to the technological prowess required to bring this helium
production project in Qatar to where it is today. Air Liquide is proud to have
played a role in this success, which significantly strengthens our worldwide
helium supply position as well as our leadership in the Middle East.”

Download the document  (https://www.engineering-

airliquide.com/sites/activity_eandc/files/2016/04/05/air-liquide_2015-07-
08_qatar_start-up_of_world_largest_helium_unit.pdf)