GE Oil & Gas has won a multi-million US dollar, six-year contract to supply Qatargas with advanced pipeline integrity management services to enhance the monitoring and maintenance of the company’s liquid natural gas (LNG) network.

Based in Ras Laffan City in Qatar, Qatargas has nine prominent shareholders – Qatar Petroleum, ExxonMobil, Total, Mitsui, Marubeni, ConocoPhillips, Shell, Idemitsu and Cosmo Oil.

Under the agreement, GE will build and deploy a custom pipeline integrity management system (Pims) to drive Qatargas’ overall integrity management processes. As part of this work, GE will provide Qatargas with the associated integrity management (IM) elements, including manuals and procedures covering in-line inspection (ILI), software automation and engineering assessments.

“Qatargas operates world-class LNG facilities in Qatar, and our goal is to be the world’s premier LNG company,” said Sheikh Ahmed Al Thani, chief operating officer, Engineering & Ventures, Qatargas.

“A critical success factor in achieving that goal is the continued assurance of availability and safe operation of our pipeline networks used to transport gas and condensate from our offshore production sites to our onshore treatment facilities.”

While Qatargas already has a strong pipeline integrity management program in place, the company continually works to adopt industry best practices, including the implementation of GE’s comprehensive PIMS program, Qatargas’ Sheikh Ahmed Al Thani said.

Much of GE’s advance work will be performed by GE Oil & Gas’ pipeline technology centers for excellence in Cramlington, UK and in Mission, Kansas, while a dedicated project and account management team will be established in Qatar to help ensure the successful implementation of the projects for Qatargas.

“We are excited to have the opportunity to continue our long-term relationship with Qatargas, which has an outstanding record of achievement in the area of pipeline integrity and maintenance,” said John Bucci, general manager of GE Oil & Gas’ PII Pipeline Solutions, noting that the business has provided inspection services to Qatargas since 1998.

While the earlier inspections covered two LNG pipelines, the new integrity management contract will cover additional offshore product lines that will rely significantly on PII Pipeline Solutions’ extensive ‘wet gas’ experience.

Separate to the pipeline services contract, GE Oil & Gas’ global services business previously signed an 18-year customer service agreement to support Qatargas’ operations.

GE Oil & Gas has a successful record of supporting a number of major pipeline integrity management initiatives in Qatar, Egypt and other Middle Eastern countries, added Bucci.-TradeArabia News Service