Qatar Daily News

Qatalum marked the beginning of primary aluminium production in Qatar on Sunday, as the company’s first electrolysis cell started the production of liquid aluminium metal.

The project, worth $3 billion, is a joint venture between Qatar petroleum and Norwegian based company Hydro.

Jan Arve Haugan, CEO of Qatalum said that the plant is initially expected to produce 585,000 tonnes of primary aluminium every year in its first phase.

Located at Mesaieed Industrial City, the complex includes a primary aluminium plant, which consists of a smelter, a cast house and a carbon plant.

A 1350mW gas power plant is onsite to ensure the supply of continuous electricity.
Read the rest of this entry »

Norwegian aluminium producer Norsk Hydro said on Tuesday that its project to build a huge smelter in Qatar remains on track for a start-up at the turn of the year 2009/10.

Norsk Hydro is building the 585,000-tonnes-per-year Qatalum smelter in a joint venture with Qatar Petroleum.

A Qatar Petroleum official earlier on Tuesday was reported as saying the aluminium plant would start up in the first quarter of 2010. Hydro has earlier said it expected first metal from the plant in 2009 and a ramp-up to full output in 2010.

“It can depend on how one defines a start-up, but according to our plans we will start up at the turn of the year 2009/2010,” Norsk Hydro investor relations chief Stefan Solberg told Reuters. “We have not specified a month.”

Construction work to build a US $5.6 billion (AED20.5 billion) aluminium project at Mesaieed in Qatar is more than 65% complete, with the plant set to open by the end of the year, say project bosses.

Qatalum, which when complete will be one of the largest aluminium plants in the world, is progressing according to schedule and despite the current economic downturn will be in a position to make a profit, the company says.

“The Qatalum project is progressing according to plans and the first aluminium will be produced in the fourth quarter of this year,” said Truls Gautesen, CEO of Qatalum, a joint venture between Qatar Petroleum and Norsk Hydro ASA.

Qatalum’s initial phase will have an annual capacity of 585,000 tonnes of primary aluminium, local media reported. But the project is due to reach its full capacity toward the second half of next year, when its annual production will rise to 1.2 million tonnes.
Read the rest of this entry »

Proton Energy Systems has been awarded a contract from Doosan Heavy Industries and Construction to supply HOGEN hydrogen generators for a power plant that provides electricity to Qatalum, proposed to be world’s largest aluminum smelting plant.

Gulf Times reports that Qatalum is currently under construction and is slated to begin operations in August 2010.

“Proton Energy is honoured to partner with Doosan Heavy Industries and Qatalum to bring the latest and most innovative hydrogen technologies to Qatar,” said Proton Energy president and chief executive officer Rob Friedland.

He said the high quality hydrogen gas will provide cooling to gas turbines and steam turbines, which have a combined power output of 1472 MW.
Read the rest of this entry »