Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
08DOHA591
2008-08-19 06:28:00
UNCLASSIFIED
Embassy Doha
Cable title:  

INCREASING ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT AS ENERGY

Tags:  ENRG EPET TRGY QA 
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VZCZCXYZ0020
PP RUEHWEB

DE RUEHDO #0591 2320628
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 190628Z AUG 08
FM AMEMBASSY DOHA
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 8154
INFO RUEHAM/AMEMBASSY AMMAN PRIORITY 0675
RUCPDOC/DEPT OF COMMERCE WASHINGTON DC PRIORITY
RHMFISS/DEPT OF ENERGY WASHINGTON DC PRIORITY
UNCLAS DOHA 000591 

SIPDIS

AMMAN FOR ESTH HUB - MANU BHALLA

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: ENRG EPET TRGY QA
SUBJECT: INCREASING ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT AS ENERGY
DEVELOPMENT PROCEEDS AT BREAKNECK SPEED

----------------
(SBU) KEY POINTS
----------------

-- GOQ senior leadership is increasingly concerned about
Qatar's carbon footprint.

-- ExxonMobil is undertaking several initiatives to reduce
emissions from its massive liquefied natural gas (LNG)
projects.

--------------
(SBU) COMMENTS
--------------

-- Qatar's exponential growth as an energy producer is
placing increasing strain on the country's environment.

-- Environmental considerations will likely continue to take
a back seat to Qatar's quest to become the global leader in
LNG, although the GOQ is increasingly environmentally aware.
For example, one of the four main pillars of "Qatar Vision
2030," a recently released strategy for the country's
development, states that "economic development and protection
of the environment are two demands neither of which should be
sacrificed for the sake of the other." Moreover, in early
July the GOQ established a full Ministry of the Environment,
enhancing the role of the former Supreme Council for the
Environment and Natural Reserves.

-- In an effort to boost its environmental credentials, Qatar
intends to host several major upcoming international
conferences on the environment, including the meeting of
Montreal Protocol members in November and the Conference of
Parties to the UN Convention on International Trade in
Endangered Species in 2010.

END KEY POINTS AND COMMENTS.

UNCLAS DOHA 000591

SIPDIS

AMMAN FOR ESTH HUB - MANU BHALLA

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: ENRG EPET TRGY QA
SUBJECT: INCREASING ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT AS ENERGY
DEVELOPMENT PROCEEDS AT BREAKNECK SPEED

--------------
(SBU) KEY POINTS
--------------

-- GOQ senior leadership is increasingly concerned about
Qatar's carbon footprint.

-- ExxonMobil is undertaking several initiatives to reduce
emissions from its massive liquefied natural gas (LNG)
projects.

--------------
(SBU) COMMENTS
--------------

-- Qatar's exponential growth as an energy producer is
placing increasing strain on the country's environment.

-- Environmental considerations will likely continue to take
a back seat to Qatar's quest to become the global leader in
LNG, although the GOQ is increasingly environmentally aware.
For example, one of the four main pillars of "Qatar Vision
2030," a recently released strategy for the country's
development, states that "economic development and protection
of the environment are two demands neither of which should be
sacrificed for the sake of the other." Moreover, in early
July the GOQ established a full Ministry of the Environment,
enhancing the role of the former Supreme Council for the
Environment and Natural Reserves.

-- In an effort to boost its environmental credentials, Qatar
intends to host several major upcoming international
conferences on the environment, including the meeting of
Montreal Protocol members in November and the Conference of
Parties to the UN Convention on International Trade in
Endangered Species in 2010.

END KEY POINTS AND COMMENTS.


1. (SBU) ExxonMobil Qatar President and CEO Alex Dodds told
the Ambassador during an August 14 introductory call that
his company is undertaking a number of initiatives to
minimize the environmental effect of its massive LNG projects
in Qatar. Dodds explained that the Amir and his consort,
Sheikha Mozah, are strongly committed to reducing Qatar's
carbon footprint and embarrassed that Qatar has one of the
highest CO2 emissions per capita in the world. Dodds
mentioned several specific ExxonMobil environmental projects.


2. (SBU) The company is working to recover excess gas that is
now flared when gas is moved from tankers to transport ships.
A project at Ras Laffan Industrial City (RLIC) will capture
vaporizing gas and reinject it into the liquefaction process.
Dodds said recovery is not a technical challenge, just a
matter of new pipework "which should have been installed in
the first place."


3. (SBU) For power generation, the new LNG mega-trains will
use special GE gas turbines equipped with "Dry Low NOx"
combustion systems which are designed to reduce emissions.


4. (SBU) ExxonMobil and othe companies operating at RLIC are
starting to usespecialized equipment to identify "fugitive
emisions" or small leaks in the pipework which contribte to
pollution levels.


5. (SBU) The company i planning to install new technologies
to reduce missions at Mesaieed Industrial City, the
downsteam processing point south of Doha which is used fr
energy-related ventures.

6. (SBU) ExxonMobil is establishing a USD 25-30 million
research center at Qatar's new Science and Technology park at
Education City. The company will be an anchor tenant and
conduct research on environmental, safety, and sulfur
management. According to ExxonMobil, potential research
areas will include "refinement and application of human
factors in LNG plants, novel sulfur management techniques,
and cost effective technologies to manage water use and
discharge in an environmentally acceptable manner." Its
first research project is a USD 2 million study on the
potential formation and impact of chlorination by-products
due to the discharge of cooling seawater near RLIC.

LeBaron