BOC to purchase helium from the Ras Laffan Helium Project in Qatar

18-Jun-2003

BOC, the world's leading supplier of helium, has announced the signing of a long-term supply agreement under which it will purchase 50 percent of the output from a new helium purification and liquefaction facility to be constructed in the Ras Laffan Industrial City in Qatar.

BOC has agreed to purchase helium from the Ras Laffan Helium Project, a joint undertaking of Ras Laffan Liquefied Natural Gas Company Ltd., Ras Laffan Liquefied Natural Gas Company Ltd. II and Qatar Liquefied Natural Gas Company Ltd. The helium will be produced at a natural gas processing facility in Ras Laffan Industrial City in Qatar, which also produces liquefied natural gas and other hydrocarbon products from Qatar's huge North Field.

Helium supplied under this agreement will boost BOC's global helium capacity by approximately 15 percent, and will be shipped to customers in the Middle East and Asia. Helium deliveries under this contract are expected to commence in July 2005.

According to Bob Lein, director of helium sourcing and supply for BOC, "The supply agreement with the Ras Laffan Helium Project will provide BOC additional capacity required to meet the continued growth in helium demand that we anticipate and will help to relieve the current tight supply conditions. This is a world-class source backed by huge reserves and is ideally situated for supplying markets that are strategically important to BOC."

BOC operates one of the world's largest helium production facilities in Otis, Kansas and supplies helium through the industry's leading global distribution network that also includes six contracted sources of supply and 47 local transfill facilities. Twenty of these transfills are located in the Middle East and Asia.

BOC supplies helium to diverse markets including magnetic resonance imaging, optical fiber production, welding and semiconductor manufacturing.

https://www.chemeurope.com/en/news/24075/boc-to-purchase-helium-from-the-ras-laffan-helium-project-in-qatar.html