WOQOD’s first LPG bottling plant will be ready at the New Industrial Area by 2007-end, Company Vice-Chairman Muhammed Khalifa Turki Al Subai has said.
The QR 150mn plant would have a capacity to bottle in excess of 25,000 cylinders a day, he told Gulf Times.
The DSM-listed WOQOD or Qatar Fuel has exclusive rights to marketing all petroleum products including liquefied petroleum gas (LPG).
On establishment in 2002, it was given a 15-year monopoly over the marketing, transportation and distribution of LPG and petroleum products in Qatar.
WOQOD has completely taken over QP’s fuel distribution arm- the now defunct Nodco.WOQOD, in which QP holds a 40% stake, is the first public limited company in Qatar’s hydrocarbon industry.
Al Subai said the plant would hopefully meet Qatar’s entire LPG bottling requirements.
In Qatar, LPG sales are projected to grow at an annual average rate of about 5% over the next 15 years.
Currently, two types pf LPG cylinders- 12Kg and 48Kg are marketed in Qatar.
The WOQOD Vice-Chairman said the company would set up about 50 state-of-the-art petrol stations across Qatar over the next five years. Some four petrol stations will be set up this year itself.
WOQOD’s first petrol station will be inaugurated at Abu Hamour on April 26.
Al Subai said all new petrol stations in Qatar would be established and operated by WOQOD.
The company has been given exclusive rights to establish and operate the petrol stations whose design will be standardized.
“Every petrol station we are setting up will be a modern fuel dispensing point,” he said.
Although facilities vary with location, services planned include automatic carwash, oil change bays and convenience store.
There are proposals to provide round-the clock services either at all WOQOD petrol stations or a select few. As in the case of other fuel dispensing points in Qatar, the WOQOD outlets will also sell unleaded super and premium gasoline and diesel among other products.
Al Subai said two more WOQOD projects- bitumen plant and a bunkering yard at Ras Laffan were under implementation. The bitumen plant will be commissioned in July.
Bitumen is used to pave roads and with Qatar on a massive infrastructure upgrade including roads, the material will have a considerable demand in the State.
He said the QR 240mn bunkering unit at Ras Laffan would be ready by the year-end. It will meet the bunkering requirements of product carriers including LNG tankers calling on the Ras Laffan Port.
Gulf Times
