Shell partially restarts Pearl gas-to-liquids plant in Qatar

Shell Partially Restarts Pearl Gas-to-Liquids Plant in Qatar to Test Facilities

Shell's Response and Operational Status at Pearl GTL Plant

LONDON, Oct 8 (Reuters) - Shell has partially restarted its Pearl gas-to-liquids plant in Ras Laffan Industrial City in Qatar to test the production facilities, a spokesperson told Reuters on Thursday. 

Partial Restart and Inventory Management

The British oil major said the partial restart will allow it to build a limited amount of product inventory in storage, while its ability to ship product remains subject to the regional security situation.

Background: Attack and Plant Capacity

The facility, which is fed from Qatar's North gas field, was attacked in March, damaging one of its two processing plants, also known as trains. At full capacity, Pearl can produce 140,000 barrels of oil equivalent per day.

Ownership and Supply Chain Impact

Shell owns 100% of Pearl, whose output also feeds into its downstream supply chain, including its lubricants business.

Repair Efforts and Timeline

Repairs to the facility's Train 2 are ongoing and expected to be completed in the first quarter of next year, the spokesperson said on Thursday. 

In March, Shell estimated it would take one year to fully repair Pearl.

Security Concerns and Operational Sustainability

Shell said its ability to sustain safe and reliable operations at Pearl GTL remains dependent on the regional security situation, including the safe passage of product shipments through the Strait of Hormuz.

(Reporting by Stephanie Kelly and Shadia Nasralla in London and Mohi Narayan in New Delhi; Editing by Jan Harvey)