"Our mission is to make QATAR the Gas to Liquids CAPITAL OF THE WORLD..." said Qatar's Minister of Energy and Industry, His Excellency Abdullah bin Hamad Al-Attiyah, at the February signing in Doha of a a Statement of Intent with Shell Gas & Power. The agreement is to study the development of building a world-class Gas to Liquids facility, using gas from Qatar's massive North Field. 'Shell in the Middle East' went to Doha for the signing and talked to His Excellency Abdullah bin Hamad Al-Attiyah, and to Linda Cook, Chief Executive of Shell Gas & Power, about the plans for the development of a Shell Middle Distillates Synthesis (SMDS) facility in Qatar, and hopes for future co-operation between Qatar and Shell...

A study team from ADNOC (Abu Dhabi National Oil Company) and Shell have been working together now for several years to develop new technology and methods to utilise Abu Dhabi's significant sour gas reserves. The study team has completed a feasibility study and produced a development concept, which has drawn on ADNOC's local knowledge and Shell's 50 years of global expertise and technological know-how in the sour gas business.