Shell's Pearl GTL facility in Qatar stops production after attacks

LONDON, ​March ⁠19 (Reuters) - Production at Shell's Pearl ​gas-to-liquids facility in Qatar has stopped after an attack on ​the ‌Ras Laffan Industrial City damaged the facility, the British ⁠oil major said on Thursday. Iranian ⁠aerial attacks since ​Wednesday have caused extensive damage to energy facilities in the Gulf, including to the world's largest gas plant ​in ‌Qatar, and have targeted a refinery in Saudi Arabia, forced the UAE to shut gas facilities and set off fires at two Kuwaiti refineries.

Pearl ​GTL, a two-train facility that can process up ‌to 1.6 billion cubic feet per day of wellhead gas, converting it ‌into 140,000 bpd of gas-to-liquids, sustained damage on one the trains in the attacks from Wednesday, Shell said.

The ​attack caused a fire to break out at the ‌facility, which was quickly put out, Shell said, adding there were no reported injuries and Pearl is now ⁠in ⁠a "safe state". Production was stopped to assess ‌the damage.

Prior to the attack, Pearl was producing at ​reduced rates with ​exports constrained by the Strait ‌of Hormuz blockage.

Shell has a 100% interest in Pearl GTL in Qatar.

Shell