01 July 2009

Cleaner energy with Rockwool insulation

The Rockwool mission in the Gulf region continues with one of the largest energy projects in the world – the gas to liquid plant, Pearl GTL in Qatar.

Rockwool Technical Insulation (RTI), in collaboration with Ineco, Kaefer, CAPE and other insulation contractors, will supply stone wool insulation solutions for this multi-billion dollar project, which is driven by the state-owned Qatar Petroleum and the global energy group Shell.

The project fits seamlessly within the Rockwool Group’s strategy to build up a strong position in the Gulf region. GTL technology is capable of converting natural gas into clean products for use as fuels or chemical feedstock, and Pearl GTL is thus designed to meet the world’s growing demand for cleaner energy. The project is being developed in line with sustainable principles, using technologies – including Rockwool insulation – that will help to mitigate environmental impact.

” It is a bonus that we are helping to save energy in a plant which will produce cleaner energy.”

Benefits of stone wool insulation

The first Rockwool shipments have already arrived at the Pearl GTL site and will be used to insulate the different process applications like tanks, cold boxes, vessels, processing pipes, etc. In the coming months, RTI will continue to deliver up to a total of 1.6 million square meters of high quality stone wool products which is a volume of approximately 1500 40 ft HC containers.

Peter Vinken, Export Director RTI comments: “Winning contracts for a project this size entails intensive contact and negotiation with the various contractors involved in the different subprojects. We have to make sure that these contractors are all aware of the benefits our high quality stone wool insulation has to offer. As well as acoustic insulation and fire protection, we emphasise that our stone wool insulation solutions have a positive contribution to the environment by reducing heat loss, increasing process efficiency and saving energy. It is a bonus that we are helping to save energy in a plant which will produce cleaner energy. In huge plants like that of Pearl GTL, the heat loss reduction and thus energy saving can add up to a great deal.”

Pearl GTL at a glance

• Pearl GTL will produce enough fuel to fi ll over 160,000 cars a day and enough synthetic based oil each year to make lubricants for more than 225 million cars.
• More than 40,000 workers from more than 50 nations currently work on a building site almost the size of New York’s Central Park.
• The production is expected to start in 2010.

Source: www.shell.com