Pearl GTL

Technology

The proprietary Shell Middle Distillate Synthesis (SMDS) process will be at the heart of the two-train Pearl GTL plant.  Developed over the course of three decades, the process has been proven on a commercial scale at the 14,700-barrel-per-day Bintulu GTL plant in Malaysia, which began operation in 1993. The Bintulu experience helped improve the chemical catalysts integral to the SMDS process. These improvements will reduce unit capital expenditure, allow faster processing and should enable Shell to produce greater volumes of fuel and other products at Pearl.

Current developments

Despite  being built in a challenging construction environment, progress at the project is so far in line with our expectations at the time of the investment decision. 

Construction of Pearl GTL is on schedule, with start-up of the first train expected around the end of the decade.  Onshore, twenty thousand workers are now building the GTL plant and numerous items of major plant equipment have been installed, including the first three 1,200-tonne GTL reactors, which arrived at the port of Ras Laffan in January.  Offshore, the installation of platforms and gas gathering equipment continues.

Markets

Building on its extensive experience marketing GTL products from Bintulu, Shell will export Pearl’s high value, differentiated premium products, including GTL fuel, kerosene naphtha and base oils for lubricants, to markets around the globe. 

Environment and society

Together with Qatargas 4, Pearl GTL represents a multi-billion dollar commitment to Qatar by Shell and the project is being developed in line with our sustainable development principles. 

The project has been designed using technology that will help to mitigate environmental impact. For instance, Pearl will recover, clean up and re-use process effluent water without any discharge to sea, making Pearl’s the largest industrial water recovery and zero-liquid discharge system in the world.

Shell has also sought to minimise the social impact of its Qatar activities and, where possible, help with social development.  At Ras Laffan port we have built a material offloading facility to allow us to import directly to the site the one and a half million tonnes of equipment and materials for this project and Qatargas 4.  This will eliminate the need for more than 100,000 lorry trips through the busy streets of Doha.