LOC15:03
12:03 GMT
DOHA, Sept 16 (KUNA) -- Qatar Chlorine, a private shareholding company,
will construct a world-class plant in the Mesaieed Industrial City for
commercial production of hydrochloric acid and byproducts, a company spokesman
said.
The plant, with production lines of sodium hydroxide (caustic soda) and
sodium hypochlorite (bleach), is due to start production in the third quarter
of 2009, the spokesman told a press conference.
The co-founder of Qatar Chlorine, former Qatari Minister of Economy and
Commerce, Sheikh Mohammad Bin Ahmad Al-Thani said that all the project's
permits including the industrial, environmental and commercial registration,
and land lease for a 35,000 square meters plot in the Mesaieed Industrial City
have been obtained.
Sheikh Mohammad said that Qatar Chlorine will be one of the first promising
projects in the medium-sized hydrocarbon industry, where the private sector
has taken the lead to develop such a project.
Hydrochloric acid is an important chemical used in the oil and gas industry
for "acidizing" wells to improve the flow rate and enhance the production
capacity. It is also used on a smaller scale in various industries such as
leather processing, steel galvanizing, pharmaceuticals and oil refineries.
Qatar Chlorine will be utilizing state-of-the-art membrane cell technology
in a process of electrolysis using modern equipment, optimizing efficiencies,
while minimizing industrial waste.
Through local production, the project will not only reduce cost but also
significantly reduce delivery time and environmental risks associated with
shipping finished products from abroad, where today all the country's
consumption is imported from regional or international producers, Sheikh
Mohammad said. (end)
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KUNA 161503 Sep 07NNNN