Anglo-Dutch energy and petrochemicals group Shell (The Hague / Netherlands; www.shell.com) has awarded the basic engineering contract for its joint venture MEG project in Ras Laffan / Qatar to Foster Wheeler (Zug / Switzerland; www.fwc.com).

The two-train MEG plant will be based on Shell’s “Omega” technology and is expected to have a 1.5m t/y capacity. It will be part of a new petrochemicals complex in Ras Laffan which is being developed by a joint venture between Shell and Qatar Petroleum (QP, Doha /Qatar; www.qp.com.qa). The complex is also expected to include a 300,000 t/y linear alpha olefins unit and a 250,000 t/y oxo alcohols unit, and commercial production is expected to begin in 2017. Shell will have a 20% stake in the project and Qatar Petroleum will hold the remaining 80% – see Plasteurope.com of 16.12.2011.

Foster Wheeler said it will benefit from the experience it gained from working on Shell’s Omega-based MEG plant on Jurong Island / Singapore. The company was the front-end engineering design (FEED) and engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) management contractor for the Jurong Island project, which started operations in December 2009 – see Plasteurope.com of 01.12.2009.