Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
05DOHA85
2005-01-12 11:10:00
UNCLASSIFIED
Embassy Doha
Cable title:  

2005 INVESTMENT CLIMATE STATEMENT: QATAR

Tags:  EINV EFIN ELAB ENRG EPET QA KTBD OPIC USTR 
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UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 09 DOHA 000085 

SIPDIS

DEPARTMENT FOR NEA/ARP, EB/IEP, EB/CBA, EB/IFD/OIA
INR/EC, NEA/RA, E
DEPARTMENT PLEASE PASS TO USDOE FOR GEORGE PERSON, JAMES
HART AND GINA ERICKSON
DEPARTMENT PLEASE ALSO PASS TO USTR-JBUNTIN
USDOC FOR 4520/ITA/MAC/OME-CLOUSTAUNAU
USDOC 4520/ITA/MAC/ONE-MTALAAT

E.O. 12958:N/A
TAGS: EINV EFIN ELAB ENRG EPET QA KTBD OPIC USTR
SUBJECT: 2005 INVESTMENT CLIMATE STATEMENT: QATAR

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 09 DOHA 000085

SIPDIS

DEPARTMENT FOR NEA/ARP, EB/IEP, EB/CBA, EB/IFD/OIA
INR/EC, NEA/RA, E
DEPARTMENT PLEASE PASS TO USDOE FOR GEORGE PERSON, JAMES
HART AND GINA ERICKSON
DEPARTMENT PLEASE ALSO PASS TO USTR-JBUNTIN
USDOC FOR 4520/ITA/MAC/OME-CLOUSTAUNAU
USDOC 4520/ITA/MAC/ONE-MTALAAT

E.O. 12958:N/A
TAGS: EINV EFIN ELAB ENRG EPET QA KTBD OPIC USTR
SUBJECT: 2005 INVESTMENT CLIMATE STATEMENT: QATAR


1. This report serves as the 2005 Investment Climate
Statement for Qatar. It will be provided to assist U.S.
investors wishing to do business in Qatar.


2. A.1 Openness to Foreign Investment:


3. The Government of Qatar, under the leadership of His
Highness the Emir Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al-Thani,
strongly encourages international investment in Qatar.
Qatar has attracted more foreign investment during the
last decade than it did throughout the first two decades
following independence from Britain in 1971. The main
economic stimulus in Qatar is the development of its huge
natural gas reserves in the North Field, the largest non-
associated natural gas reservoir in the world. Qatar's
liquefied natural gas (LNG) industry has attracted
foreign investment worth nearly USD 70 billion. The oil
and gas industry will continue to be the most attractive
sector for foreign investors, as Qatar Petroleum expects
investments in upcoming projects will exceed USD 50
billion by 2010.


4. Law No. 13/2000 allows for 100 percent ownership by
foreign investors in certain sectors, including services,
agriculture, industry, health, education and tourism, and
projects involving the development and exploitation of
natural resources, pending approval by decree from the
government. In 2004, Qatar enacted Law No. 31/2004 which
allows foreign investment in the banking and insurance
sectors pending approval by decree from the Cabinet of
Ministers. When approving majority foreign ownership in
a project, Law No. 13/2000 states that the project should
fit into the country's development plans. Law No. 13
adds that preference should be given to projects that use
raw materials available in the local market, manufacture
products for export, produce a new product or use of

advanced technology, facilitate the transfer of
technology and know-how in Qatar, and promote the
development of national human resources.


5. In 2004, Qatar passed Law 17 which allows foreigners
to own residential property in select projects of the
Pearl of the Gulf Real Estate Development Project.
International firms interested in obtaining commercial
registration under the provisions of laws No. 13/2000 and
17/2004 should make an application to the Department of
Commercial Affairs at the Ministry of Economy and
Commerce. U.S. firms have received commercial
registration allowing 100 percent foreign ownership in
recent years.


6. In general, foreign investment is limited at 49
percent, with the Qatari partner(s) holding at least 51
percent. It should be noted that foreign firms continue
to be required to use a local agent for the purposes of
immigration (sponsorship and residence of employees).


7. The Government of Qatar has embarked on a
privatization program designed to encourage and
strengthen the Qatari private sector. To date, this
effort has focused on the privatization of state-owned
industries and corporations. For example, in early 2003,
15 percent of the Government's shares in Qatar
Petrochemical Company, Qatar Fertilizer Company, Qatar
Fuel Additives Company and Qatar Steel Company were made
available to Qatari investors through an initial public
offering. There are no fully privatized companies in
Qatar, but the Government does allow non-Qataris to own
shares in selected semi-privatized companies.


8. Judicial decisions in commercial disputes are
primarily based on contractual agreements, provided these
agreements are not in conflict with applicable Qatari
laws. U.S. firms are strongly encouraged to consult a
local attorney before concluding any commercial agreement
with a local entity.



9. A2. Conversion and transfer policies:


10. Qatar's official currency, the Qatari riyal (QR),is
a floating currency. Due to little demand for the riyal
outside Qatar and national economy's dependence on oil
and gas revenues, the Government has pegged its exchange
rate to the U.S. dollar. The official rate is QR 1.00
for USD 0.27 or USD 1.00 for QR 3.64, as set by the
Government in June 1980. This was reaffirmed by an Amiri
decree issued July 9, 2001, as a step towards
establishing a common currency for the Gulf Cooperation
Council (GCC) countries, a decision agreed upon at a GCC
Summit held in Bahrain in December 2000 and expected to
take effect in 2010. The Government maintains a floating
rate against all other currencies, with the exception of
four GCC countries - Saudi Arabia, Oman, United Arab
Emirates and Bahrain - whose currencies are similarly
pegged to the dollar.


11. Qatar does not delay remittance of foreign investment
returns nor does it restrict transfer of funds associated
with an investment such as return on dividends, return of
capital, interest and principal payments on private
foreign debt, lease payments, royalties and management
fees. Similarly, there are no limitations on the inflow
or outflow of funds for remittances of profits, debt
services, capital, capital gains and other returns.
However, local as well as foreign contractors may
confront a delay of over three months in receiving their
amount due without interest. Normally, such a delay is
attributed to bureaucratic red tape. Foreign exchange is
available at all times through banks and branches and
exchange companies.


12. In accordance with government regulations to combat
money laundering and terrorist financing, all financial
transactions in excess of QR 100,000 (USD 27,472) must be
reported to Qatar Central Bank. Any repeated cash
transactions of QR 30,000 (approximately $10,000) or
higher made by an individual or entity must be reported.
Any transfer of funds into Qatar in excess of QR 100,000
must have valid documentation regarding the use of these
funds.


13. A3. Expropriation and compensation:


14. There have been no cases of expropriation or
sequestration of foreign investment in Qatar since the
nationalization in the mid-1970s of Shell and Dukhan
Services (the latter was a combination of six
international oil companies handling Qatar's onshore
operations on the country's West Coast.) The foreign
interests were compensated promptly and fairly, in an act
the Government refers to as "negotiation," not
"nationalization" or "sequestration".


15. A4. Dispute settlement:


16. Qatar is not a member of the International Center for
the Settlement of Investment Disputes (ICSID). In March
2003 Qatar became a signatory to the New York Convention
of 1958. If and when investment disputes do occur, Qatar
accepts binding international arbitration between the
Government and foreign investors. However, Qatari courts
do not enforce judgments of other courts in disputes
emanating from investment agreements made under the
jurisdiction of other nations.


17. U.S. firms are advised to consult with a Qatari or
foreign-based law firm when executing contracts with
local parties, in order to protect their own interests.
Contracts between local and foreign parties serve as the
basis for resolving any future commercial disputes. The
process of resolving disputes in the Qatari legal system
can be time-consuming.



18. A5. Performance requirements/incentives:


19. Performance requirements for foreign investment in
Qatar, including a counter-trade offset program, do not
exist. While screening investment proposals, the
Government may indicate preferences for locating
facilities, capital investments and other matters.
Disclosure of financial and employment data is required
but proprietary information is not.


20. The Government offers a variety of incentives to
foreign investors, which may include tax exemptions,
property grants, energy subsidies, and low-cost
financing. The following is a list of possible
incentives offered to foreign investors:

--Natural gas priced at USD 60-75 cents per mbtu;
--Electricity offered at less than USD two cents per kWh;
--Industrial land offered at USD 27 cents per square
meter per year for a period of 50
years including options for renewing the lease;
--Exemption from customs duties on imports of machinery,
equipment and spare
parts;
--Exemption on export duties;
--Exemption from corporate earnings taxes for five years
extendable to ten years;
--Exemption from income taxes;
--Absence of quotas on imports;
--Low cost financing through Qatar Industrial Development
Bank; and,
--Flexible immigration and employment rules to enable
import of foreign labor.



21. A6. Right to private ownership and establishment


22. The Commercial Companies Law, Law No. 5/2002
(replacing Law No. 11/1981) controls the establishment of
all private business concerns in Qatar. The updated law
provides for corporate mergers, corporate bonds, and the
conversion of corporate partnerships into joint stock
companies.


23. Joint ventures involving foreign partners almost
always take the form of limited liability partnerships.
Law No. 15/1990, which controls foreign investment in
commercial companies, does not allow foreign investors to
enter into a joint stock company with Qatari partners.
Foreign investors may own up to 49 percent, and the
Qatari partners no less than 51 percent, of a limited
liability concern. Foreign partners in ventures
organized as limited liability partnerships must pay the
full amount of their contribution to authorized capital
in cash or in kind, prior to the start of operations.
Usually, such firms are required to set aside 10 percent
of profits each year in a statutory reserve, until it
equals 50 percent of the venture's authorized capital.


24. Foreigners are generally not allowed to own property
or invest in privatized public services. However, some
residential and commercial areas of Doha and corporate
stocks have been made available to foreign investors. On
July 4, 2004, the Emir ratified Law No. 17/2004, allowing
foreigners to own some residential property in select
projects of the Pearl of the Gulf Real Estate Development
Project. Foreigners may also own land in select real
estate development projects in the West Bay Lagoon and Al-
Khor areas.


25. A7. Protection of property rights:


26. Within Qatar, owners of trademarks and copyrights and
holders of patents depend on Qatari laws and regulations
for protection. Intellectual property rights in Qatar
are protected by Law No. 7/2002 (Copyright and
Neighboring Rights Law) and Law No. 9/2002 (Trademarks
and Geographical Indicators Law). Qatar has adopted the
GCC Patent Law and created a GCC Patent Office. The
Ministry of Economy and Commerce is responsible for
enforcing these laws and other intellectual property
rights matters.


27. The Ministry of Public Health requires registration
of all pharmaceutical products imported into the country
and will not register unauthorized copies of products
patented in other countries.


28. A8. Transparency of the regulatory system:


29. In Qatar, the Government is the major buyer and end-
user of a wide range of products and services.
Government procurement regulations provide a ten percent
preference for Qatari bidders and five percent for GCC
bidders.


30. The Central Tenders Committee (CTC) of the Ministry
of Finance is responsible for processing the majority of
public sector tenders. The CTC applies standard
tendering procedures and adheres to established
performance norms. It also sets the standards for rules
and regulations for bidding procedures.


31. Information on CTC tenders may be obtained from the
CTC office in Doha or on the Internet at
http://www.ctc.gov.qa. In tenders valued in excess of QR
100 million (USD 27 million),the CTC may invite and pre-
qualify international firms to bid for a specific product
or service. Technical bids submitted to the CTC are
referred to the appropriate government end-user for short-
listing. The CTC then opens the commercial bids and
recommends the lowest priced, technically qualified
bidder to the entity concerned, which will make the final
award decision. Inquiries about specific award decisions
should be directed to the CTC.


32. Some governmental entities have internal tender
committees. The Ministry of Energy and Industry and
Qatar Petroleum process all tenders independently. Qatar
Armed Forces and the Ministry of Interior are responsible
for issuing tenders for classified materials and
services. The Ministry of Municipal Affairs and
Agriculture may tender consultant contracts valued at
less than QR three million (USD 822,000) and works
contracts valued at less than QR 1 million (USD 274,000).


33. Foreign firms wishing to participate in government
procurement programs may be required to have a local
agent and provide bid and performance bonds.
International bidders should contact end-users directly
for information on local agent requirements.


34. Other regulatory policies do not significantly affect
foreign investment decisions. The Government continues
to strive to facilitate private investment (foreign and
national) in the Qatari economy.


35. The lack of transparency in Qatari Government
procurement has become a growing issue. Some U.S.
companies have expressed concerns about the lack of
transparency in government procurement. The Government
of Qatar is aware of these concerns and the United States
will continue to engage Qatar on this issue.


36. A9. Efficient capital markets and portfolio
investment


37. In Qatar, there are no restrictions on the free flow
of capital.


38. Qatar Central Bank (QCB) adheres to conservative
policies aimed at maintaining steady economic growth and
prudent and responsible banking sector.


39. Qatar's banking sector assets at the end of September
2004 was estimated at QR 82 billion (USD 22.5 billion),
15.25 percent over the previous year's corresponding
figure. Qatar National Bank (50 percent state-owned) is
the largest bank in the country. Its total assets at the
end of 2003 was QR 34.8 billion (USD 5.5 billion),12
percent over the previous year's total. As in previous
years, this represented over 50 percent of the total
assets of all commercial banks in Qatar.


40. Almost all import transactions are controlled by
standard letters of credit (L/Cs) processed by local
banks and their correspondent banks in the exporting
countries. Credit facilities are provided to local and
foreign investors within the framework of standard
international banking practices. Foreign investors are
usually required to have a guarantee from their local
sponsor/local equity partner. However, in accordance
with QCB guidelines, banks operating in Qatar give
priority to Qataris and to public development projects in
their financing operations. Moreover, QCB prohibits
banks from lending an amount greater than seven percent
of a bank's capital base to any single customer.


41. In addition, the Qatar Central Bank does not allow
"cross-sharing" and "stable shareholder" arrangements
among banks and other business concerns that result in
fewer shares of some corporations actually trading freely
in the market.


42. The Doha Securities Market (DSM) is considered the
second most active stock market in the Middle East and
North Africa. DSM has grown from 2, 323.84 points in
2002 to 3, 946.70 at the end of 2003, an increase of
approximately 70 percent. In 2003, DSM has attracted
approximately USD 26.7 billion in investment. DSM has
benefited from Qatar's current economic boom, low
remuneration of bank deposits, an excess of liquidity in
the economy and policies that foster an open economy
attractive to the private sector and foreign investment.


43. Qatar's current regulations allow foreigners to
invest in two stock options, Qatar Telecom (Q-Tel) and
Salam International Investment. Gulf Cooperation Council
(GCC) nationals are allowed to invest in up to eight
stocks. In December 2003, the Cabinet of Ministers
approved a law allowing foreigners to own up to 25
percent of a company listed in the DSM. The implementing
regulations for this law are expected in 2005. In May
2004, the Ministry of Economy and Commerce issued the
implementing regulations for the Mutual Fund Law (Law. No
25/2002),which allows expatriates to invest indirectly
the stock market. No bond loans have been traded on the
DSM.


44. International Credit Ratings companies have
recognized Qatar's management of the economy, banking and
finance sectors. According to 2004 Qatari Government
statistics, Standard and Poor's rated Qatar with a long
term foreign currency rating of A+ (positive) and a long
term local currency rating of A+ (positive). Standard
and Poor's also rated Qatar with an A-1 (positive) for
short-term foreign and local currency. Moody's rated
Qatar A3 for long-term stability in the bond market and
deposits and Prime-2 (stable) for short-term stability.
Capital Intelligence rated Qatar as A- for its sovereign,
long-term rating and A2 for its sovereign, short-term
rating.



45. A10. Political violence:


46. Qatar is politically stable. The crime rate is low.
There are no political parties, labor unions or trade
associations. There is no known organized domestic
political opposition. These facts combine to minimize
dissent.


47. With regard to possible terrorist attacks, the U.S.
Government considers the potential for acts of
transnational terrorism to occur in Qatar as high.
Potential investors and U.S. citizens are encouraged to
stay in close contact with the Embassy for up-to-date
threat information.


48. A11. A. Corruption:


49. A bribe to an official or a foreign official in Qatar
is viewed as a crime. Law No. 14/1971 stipulates that a
government official who is convicted of corruption may
receive up to seven years' imprisonment. According to
Law No. 14, corruption should be investigated by the
Ministry of Interior's Office of the Attorney General and
Criminal Investigation Department. Final judgments are
made by the criminal court, which falls under the
Ministry of Justice. While normal punishment for
giving/taking a bribe is imprisonment of up to seven
years, the minimum is one year's imprisonment and/or a
fine worth QR 1,000 (USD 275).


50. The Government of Qatar has begun a major initiative
to combat corruption in government procurement. Several
cases of alleged corruption at a variety of government
entities are currently under investigation or
adjudication. State-owned entities are increasingly
sensitive to appearances of corruption and are working to
establish more open and transparent processes.


51. Qatar is not a participant in regional anti-
corruption initiatives. No regional or local watchdog
organization operates in this country.

52. U.S. investors are subject to the provisions of the
U.S. Foreign Corrupt Practices Act.


53. B. Bilateral Investment Agreements:


54. Over the past ten years, Qatar has signed protocol
investment promotion agreements with several countries,
including Armenia, Bangladesh, Bosnia, China, Eritrea,
France, Germany, Hungary, India, Indonesia, Romania,
Senegal, South Korea, Thailand and most Arab countries.


55. Qatar has not entered into a bilateral investment,
trade or taxation treaty with the United States.



56. C. OPIC and other investment insurance programs:


57. Due to concerns about labor practices in Qatar, OPIC
suspended its operations in Qatar in 1995. However,
Qatar is working diligently to improve its labor
standards in order to reinstate OPIC coverage. In May
2004, Qatar passed a new labor law which provides more
rights and protections for Qataris and non-Qataris.


58. Qatar has no plans to become a member of the
Multilateral Investment Guarantee Agency (MIGA).


59. D. Labor:


60. Qatar's labor force consists primarily of expatriate
workers. With a total estimated population of 744,000
and Qataris constituting no more than one fourth of this
number, the role of expatriates in the economy is very
important. The Ministry of Interior and the Ministry of
Civil Service and Housing Affairs' Department of Labor
regulate recruitment of expatriate labor.


61. The largest group of foreign workers come from South
Asia. Recently, the Government has begun to diversify
the sources of expatriate labor, increasing the
percentage of workers from outside this region. Qatar's
plan to develop its own manpower resources continues to
receive attention at all government levels.


62. In May 2004, Qatari passed a new labor law which
allows Qatari workers to right to strike, to form
worker's committees and to join international labor
organizations with ministerial approval. Strikes are
forbidden in vital industries including oil and gas,
water and power, transport, communications and hospitals.
Under the new law, all workers have the right to conduct
collective negotiations over all work-related issues
through the formation of joint committees with employers.
Where workers' committees exist, they will represent the
interest of all employees; in other cases, provided there
are 30 or more employees, they may directly elect
representatives.


63. Where joint committees cannot resolve disputes, they
must be submitted to the Labor Department in the Ministry
of Civil Service Affairs and Housing for mediation. If
still unresolved, they go to a "Committee of Settlement"
composed of representatives of the Ministry, employer and
employees. If still unresolved, disputes will then be
brought before an Arbitration Committee headed by a
judge, and composed of representatives of the Minister,
the Qatar Chamber of Commerce and Industry, and the Qatar
General Union of Workers.


64. All expatriate labor must have a Qatari sponsor.
Therefore, foreign investors are urged to negotiate labor
visa issues with their sponsors/local agents/partners in
the early stages of contract negotiation. The Ministry
of Interior and the current sponsor must approve all
transfers of sponsorship of an expatriate from one Qatari
national or firm to another. With the approval of the
Ministry of Interior, sponsorship of employees who filed
valid complaints of abuse by employers can be transferred
without the current employer's agreement. By law, an
expatriate hired locally is only entitled to two
sponsorship transfers during his/her residence in Qatar,
provided he/she is below 60 years of age. Expatriates
hired abroad are not allowed to change sponsorship. If
for any reason a residence permit is canceled, the
expatriate is not allowed to return to Qatar on a work
visa for a period of two years.


65. It is common practice in Qatar for expatriate workers
to be provided accommodation, end of service benefits and
homeward passage allowance, in addition to salaries.
There is no minimum wage regulation. While salaries and
wages are negotiable, end of service benefits are subject
to three different laws.


66. Qatar has become increasingly active in the
International Labor Organization and is currently
drafting a new labor law.


67. E. Foreign trade zones/Free ports:


68. There are currently no foreign trade zones or free
ports in Qatar. However, there are plans to develop a
free trade zone in Qatar at the site of the new Doha
International Airport, which will be operational by 2008-

09.


69. F. Foreign direct investments statistics:


70. The Government of Qatar does not publish detailed
statistics for foreign direct investment in Qatar or the
Government's direct investments overseas.


71. In recent years, Qatar has attracted sizeable
investments in the areas of enhanced oil recovery and
production, as well as the development of Qatar's gas
industry. During the past ten years, QP and its partners
have invested an estimated USD 100 billion in upstream
and downstream operations. The development of Qatar's
offshore natural gas reserves in the North Field will
continue to dominate all other sectors in attracting
foreign investors. Qatar's gas industry has attracted
investors/creditors from the around the world. The U.S.
firm ExxonMobil alone has invested approximately USD 40
billion, in part as equity shareholder in Qatar Liquefied
Natural Gas Company (Qatargas) (10 percent) and Ras
Laffan Liquefied Natural Gas Co. (RasGas) (26.5 percent).


72. Leading U.S. oil companies such as Occidental and
Anadarko are currently operating under production sharing
agreements for enhanced oil recovery/production. U.S.
investment in Qatar (mainly in the oil and gas sector) is
estimated to be USD 60-70 billion. Government officials
expect an additional approximately USD 70 billion will be
invested in Qatar's energy sector by 2010.


73. The following is a list of foreign equity
participation investors, U.S. firms included, in some
major state-owned industrial/petroleum related
industries:

Natural Gas Sector:
--------------


74. Qatar Liquefied Gas Company (Qatargas): Equity share
capital: QR 500 million (USD 137 million). Shareholders:
Upstream: Qatar Petroleum (QP) 65 percent, Total (France)
10 percent, Marubeni Corporation (Japan) and Mitsui and
Company Ltd. (Japan) 7.5 percent each and ExxonMobil Oil
(USA) 10 percent. Shareholders: Downstream: Qatar
Petroleum 65.0 percent, Totalfinaelf 20.0 percent,
Exxonmobil 10.0 percent, Mitsui 2.5 percent, Marubeni 2.5
percent. Year established: 1984. End-users of LNG:
Worldwide. Commencement of commercial production:
December 1996. Current value of foreign equity: Unknown.


75. Qatar Liquefied Gas Company (Qatargas) II (Qatargas
II): Equity share capital: Unknown. Shareholders: Qatar
Petroleum 70 percent and ExxonMobil 30 percent. Year
Established: 2002. End-users: U.K. Commencement of
commercial production: 2007. Current value of foreign
equity: Unknown.


76. Qatar Liquefied Gas Company (Qatargas) III (Qatargas
III): Equity Share Capital: USD 5 billion Shareholders:
Qatar Petroleum (QP) 70 percent and ConocoPhillps 30
percent. Year Established: 2003. End-users: USA
Commencement of commercial production: 2009. Current
value of foreign equity: Unknown.


77. Ras Laffan Liquefied Natural Gas Co. (RasGas): Equity
share capital: QR 7.28 billion (USD 2 billion).
Shareholders: Qatar Petroleum (QP) 63 percent, Mobil QM
Gas Inc. 25 percent, Itochu Corporation 4 percent, Nissho
Iwai Corporation 3 percent and KOGAS 5 percent. Year
established: 1993. End-users of LNG: South Korea 91
percent, Spain 6 percent and the U.S. 3 percent.
Commencement of commercial production: 1999. Current
value of foreign equity: Unknown.


78. Ras Laffan Liquefied Natural Gas Co. (RasGas) II
(RasGas II): Equity Share Capital: USD 550 million.
Shareholders: QP 70 percent and ExxonMobil 30 percent.
Year Established: 2001. End-users: India, Italy, Spain,
Taiwan. Commencement of commercial production: 2004
(Train 3). Current value of foreign equity: Unknown.


79. Ras Laffan Liquefied Natural Gas Co. (RasGas) III
(RasGas III): Equity Share: Unknown. Capital: USD 12-14
million. Shareholders: QP 70 percent stake and
ExxonMobil 30 percent. Year Established: 2003. End-
users: USA Commencement of commercial production: 2010.
Current value of foreign equity: Unknown.

Gas-To-Liquids Sector:
--------------


80. Oryx GTL Project: Equity Share Capital: Unknown.
Shareholders: Qatar Petroleum 51 percent and Sasol 49
percent. Year Established: 2003. End-users: Singapore,
Japan and Europe. Commencement of commercial production:
2006 (revised from initial estimate of December 2006).
Current value of foreign equity: Unknown.


81. Other Oil and Gas-Based Industries:
Gulf International Drilling: Equity Share Capital: USD
258 million. Shareholders: Qatar Petroleum 60 percent
and JDC 40 percent. Year Established: 2004. End-users:
TBD Commencement of commercial operations: 2004. Current
value of foreign equity: Unknown.


82. Qatar Chemical Company (Q-Chem): Equity Share
Capital: Unknown. Shareholders: Qatar Petroleum (QP) 51
percent; Chevron-Phillips Chemical Company 49 percent.
Year established: 1997. End-users: Asia, Europe, Middle
East and Africa. Commencement of commercial production:

2003. Current value of foreign equity: Unknown.


83. Qatar Chemical Company II (Q-Chem II): Equity Share
Capital: Unknown. Shareholders: Qatar Petroleum 51
percent and ChevronPhillips 49 percent. Year Established:

2002. End-users: Local and international. Commencement
of commercial production: 2007. Current value of foreign
equity: Unknown.


84. Qatar Fertilizer Company (QAFCO): Equity share
capital: QR 100 million (USD 27.5 million).
Shareholders: Industries of Qatar (IQ) 70 percent, Norsk
Hydro (Norway) 25 percent, Davy McKee Ltd. (U.K.) 3
percent, Hambros Bank Ltd. (U.K.),2 percent. Year
established: 1969. Commencement of commercial
production: 1974. Current value of foreign equity:
Unknown.


85. Qatar Fuel Additives Company (QAFAC): Equity share
capital: QR 1.2 billion (USD 330 million) (total capital
QR 2.5 billion (USD 687 million)). Shareholders:
Industries of Qatar 50 percent, OPIC Netherlands Antilles
N.V. 20 percent, International Octane Limited of Canada
(IOL) 15 percent, and Lee Chang Yung Chemical Industry
Corporation (LCYCIC) 15 percent. Year established: 1992.
End-users: Far East, India, Europe and Arabian Gulf.
Commencement of commercial production: 2001. Current
value of foreign equity: Unknown.


86. Qatar Petrochemical Company (QAPCO): Equity share
capital: QR 360 million (USD 99 million). Shareholders:
The partially privatized Industries of Qatar (IQ) 80
percent, CDF Chimie Atochem (France) 10 percent, and
Enichem (Italy) 10 percent. Year established: 1975.
Commencement of commercial production: 1981. Current
value of foreign equity: Unknown.


87. Qatar Vinyl Company (QVC): Shareholders: QAPCO 31.9
percent, Qatar Petroleum 25.5 percent, Norsk Hydro 29.7
percent and Atofina 12.9 percent. Year established:

1996. End-users: Asian countries. Commencement of
commercial production: Mid-2001. Current value of foreign
equity: Unknown.


88. Qatofin: Equity Share Capital: Unknown.
Shareholders: QAPCO 63 percent, Atofina 36 percent and
QP 1 percent. Year Established: 2002. End-users: Asia
and Europe. Commencement of commercial production: 2007.
Current value of foreign equity: Unknown.


89. Ras Laffan Ethylene Cracker: Equity Share Capital:
Unknown. Shareholders: Q-Chem II 53.31 percent, Qatofin
45.69 percent and QP 1 percent. Year Established: 2002.
End-users: Domestic. Commencement of commercial
production: 2007. Current value of foreign equity:
Unknown.

Other Sectors:
--------------


90. Ras Laffan Independent Water and Power Project:
Equity Share Capital: Unknown. Shareholders: AES
Corporation 55 percent, Qatar Electricity and Water
Company 25 percent, Qatar Petroleum 10 percent and Gulf
Investment Corporation 10 percent. Year Established:

2001. End-users: Local. Commencement of commercial
production: 2004. Current value of foreign equity:
Unknown.

UNTERMEYER