Atlas Copco highlights role on Pearl GTL

London – Atlas Copco has flagged up the involvment in the Shell-operated Pearl GTL project in Qatar –the largest gas-to-liquid facility in the world.

The group’s Atlas Copco Services Middle East unit, based in Abu Dhabi supplied rental equipment packages comprising compressors, dryers and accessories to the project to turn natural gas into clean burning fuels. .

Operating two unmanned platforms 60km offshore, the Pearl GTL project is expected to produce 1.6 billion cubic feet of gas per day. Post processing, this will generate 120,000 bpd (barrels per calendar day) of condensate and NGL (natural gas liquids) and 140,000 bpd of GTL products.

“Atlas Copco Services Middle East has been mainly involved in the provision of equipment used in the massive pre-commissioning programme of the Pearl facility,” says Akram Tamari, Atlas Copco Regional Rental Manager.

“As an example, our oil-free compressors and desiccant air dryers were employed in activities that included air blowing for cleaning, generating instrument air and the pneumatic testing of the fuel gas processing and air separation units.

In total, Atlas Copco said its compressors generated more than 300 million m³ of dry, 100% oil-free air for the project, making it one of the biggest compressor rental projects ever.