Qatar Awards Giant Gas Field Contract to Japan's Chiyoda
Qatar Petroleum aims to boost Doha's gas production by more than 20 percent with a contract awarded to Japanese Chiyoda, the state-owned energy giant has said.
Chiyoda will "execute the Front End Engineering and Design (FEED) of the onshore facilities of the North Field Expansion", state-owned Qatar Petroleum said in a statement.
Qatar in April announced plans to lift a self-imposed ban on development of the North Field, the world's biggest natural gas field which it shares with Iran.
But just weeks after the start of a diplomatic rift with Saudi Arabia and its allies, Qatar in July announced it aimed to increase production via the field.
The new facilities are expected to produce an extra 23 million tonnes per annum (mtpa) of liquified natural gas, raising production from 77 to 100 mtpa.
Qatar had previously said it aimed to reach 100 mtpa by 2024.
Qatar, the world's number one exporter of liquified natural gas, has found itself politically and economically isolated by the Saudi-led bloc since June.
The bloc -- which includes Egypt, Bahrain and the United Arab Emirates -- accuses Qatar of promoting terrorism and seeking better ties with Saudi Arabia's Shiite regional rival, Iran.
Qatar categorically denies the accusations.
Source: Agence France Presse
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