Refinery projects face setbacks

摘要

New Middle East refineries have driven global capacity expansion since mid-2013, with 1.2mn b/d coming on line in Saudi Arabia and Abu Dhabi. But security threats and political disputes could stall the next wave of growth. Qatari state-controlled Qatargas is on track to start commissioning its 146,000 b/d Ras Laffan 2 condensate splitter next year (WPA, 12 June, p5). And more than 1.5mn b/d of refining capacity should start up in the other five Gulf Cooperation Council member states in the coming years, although the bulk of the additions will probably come on stream towards the end of this decade.