In 2010, Qatar achieved its ambitious target of 77 million tonnes per annum (Mta) of liquefied natural gas (LNG) production capacity. Notwithstanding this unprecedented economic growth, Qatar has fully embraced a sustainability agenda as articulated in the Qatar National Vision 2030 (QNV 2030).
This paper presents the evolution of the climate change framework in Qatar from the perspective of RasGas Company Limited (RasGas), a world-class LNG producer. RasGas completed a major expansion programme in 2009-2010 commissioning two mega-trains with a companywide net production capacity of 37 Mta.
In 2005, RasGas adopted a comprehensive framework for reducing its emissions to the atmosphere with the establishment of an Emissions Reduction Steering Committee (ERSC). The committee oversaw the activities of a Flare Minimisation Team (FMT) that stewarded the completion of a pioneering 5-year flare reduction plan. Concurrently, as part of its first expansion project, RasGas implemented in 2007 an acid gas injection scheme resulting in an annual emissions reduction of approximately 1 million tones of carbon dioxide. Despite the addition of its mega-trains, RasGas was able to reduce its carbon footprint from energy efficient design and innovative operating practices.
In 2009, RasGas launched a corporate Waste Recycling programme to supplement its effort towards energy and resource conservation in all aspects of its operations. In 2010, RasGas was one of the first energy producers in the region to produce a Sustainability Report in alignment with QNV 2030. More recently, RasGas participated in the QP-led greenhouse gas (GHG) Accounting and Reporting initiative, based on the EU Emissions Trading Scheme (EUETS) rules, a first for the region.
RasGas current and future efforts aim at consolidating the above initiatives into a coherent sustainability and GHG management strategy, leveraging potential energy efficiency, carbon capture and storage (CCS) and other emerging mitigation solutions and carbon trading mechanisms. A review of existing and emerging global climate change regulatory framework, a benchmark of industry policy approaches towards climate change and stakeholder engagement are currently underway that will culminate in a corporate strategy. Finally, a review of RasGas GHG performance against industry benchmarks will be proposed, with advocacy and participation in industry climate change groups.
