QatarEnergy LNG's approach to environmental management is closely aligned with the goals of the Qatar National Vision (QNV) 2030, which envisions preserving the environment for future generations. The Company strongly believes in implementing solutions to further reduce its environmental impact to the lowest practical level across its value chain while maintaining safe and reliable performance. Over the years, QatarEnergy LNG is proud to have led a range of major environmental initiatives and achieved great success in environmental protection related to climate change mitigation, flaring, air emissions, wastewater treatment and waste management. QatarEnergy LNG also supports biodiversity protection and helps raise conservation awareness within our organization and the community through environmental outreach campaigns.
QatarEnergy LNG remains committed to mitigating its environmental footprint and implementing its Environmental Strategy to achieve sustainable premier environmental performance and an integrated environmental and sustainability culture. QatarEnergy LNG’s Environmental Strategy outlines our Company’s leading contribution to the Qatar National Vision (QNV) 2030 and QatarEnergy Sustainability Strategy and highlights our progressive and forward-looking position on emerging environmental risks in a rapidly changing global market. QatarEnergy LNG launched a comprehensive Implementation Roadmap for its Environmental Strategy in 2022 comprising over 75 specific implementation plans that address areas such as:
QatarEnergy LNG’ Environmental Management System (EMS), which is ISO 14001 certified, provides an overarching framework for environmental compliance and continual environmental improvement for our operational activities and services. QatarEnergy LNG’ environmental legal requirements include environmental operating and construction permits, State of Qatar laws and regulations and other requirements that QatarEnergy LNG is legally obligated to comply with.
To ensure compliance with these requirements, QatarEnergy LNG has established an Environmental Compliance Program (ECP) that is structured along the Plan-Do-Check-Act model. This involves identification and communication of applicable legal requirements, compliance tracking and implementation and verification of compliance action plans, compliance audits and periodic compliance reviews with the management.
With the implementation of the ECP, QatarEnergy LNG has been able to monitor, track and determine environmental compliance on a regular basis. Environmental compliance tracking is translated into asset or facility-specific environmental compliance reports. The ECP management review ensures allocation of required resources for compliance management and implementation of compliance action plans and strategies.
QatarEnergy LNG maintains a forward-looking Greenhouse Gas (GHG) management programme, which involves GHG emissions quantification, verification and implementation of GHG reduction plans. In recent years, QatarEnergy LNG has been able to reduce its GHG emissions by over 12% represented by more than four million tonnes of Carbon Dioxide (CO2) reduced per annum. The main drivers for this reduction are QatarEnergy LNG’s dedicated CO2 injection facilities, the continued successful operation of our landmark Jetty Boil-off Gas (JBOG) recovery facility at high recovery rates and implementation of multiple flare reduction initiatives. These savings represent the CO2 sequestration capacity of approximately 4.7 million acres of forest.
QatarEnergy LNG operates one of the largest CO2 sequestration facilities in the region with a capacity to inject up to 2.2 Million Tonnes per Annum (MTA) of CO2.
The Company plans to increase its CO2 sequestration capacity by an additional 7 MTA through additional injection projects at its existing LNG trains and NFXP expansion projects by 2030. The NFXP facilities will also utilize a portion of its electrical power from Qatar’s solar projects.
QatarEnergy LNG maintains a robust flare management program which ensures continual improvement in flare reduction and is centered on enhanced stewardship provided by a multi-disciplinary Flare Management Teams (FMTs), strong surveillance and reporting mechanisms, operational source reduction, and implementation of flare reduction projects.
QatarEnergy LNG’ comprehensive approach to flare management has resulted in an overall flare reduction at our LNG and sales gas facilities of 71% between 2013 and 2023 which amounts to approximately 45,000 million standard cubic feet (mmscf) of gas saved compared to 2013. These annual gas savings, when converted to power generation potential, are enough to power more than 470,000 homes.
The Company’s $1-billion Jetty Boil-off Gas Recovery (JBOG) facility, which commenced operations in October 2014, helps reduce flaring during LNG ship-loading by more than 90%. A comprehensive purge gas reduction project was completed in December 2013 at four LNG mega-trains, which reduced baseline purge flaring by approximately 45%, while passing valves monitoring programs and turnaround flare management plans have also facilitated additional significant flaring reductions. The Flare Reduction Project (FRP) at the QatarEnergy LNG N2 and QatarEnergy LNG N3&4 LNG mega-trains has also contributed valuable flare related savings.
Flaring Reduction at LNG and Sales Gas Facilities
QatarEnergy LNG is committed to managing its air emissions responsibly and in accordance with applicable regulatory requirements. Currently, QatarEnergy LNG continuously monitors its air emissions via its extensive Continuous Emissions Monitoring System (CEMS) network. The Company has reduced its Nitrogen Oxide (NOx) intensity by 85% since 2008 by retrofitting our older LNG trains with advanced NOx controls and have achieved pace-setter NOx performance in global industry benchmarking. QatarEnergy LNG’s NFXP expansion facilities will be equipped with Ultra Low NOx technology along with an industry-leading 99.9% sulfur recovery to minimize Sulfur Dioxide (SO2) emissions.
Furthermore, QatarEnergy LNG recognises the importance of reducing Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs) and methane in the atmosphere and has an established and robust Leak Detection and Repair (LDAR) programme at its facilities. The LDAR programme provides surveillance for both VOC and methane components, leading to necessary repairs in identified fugitive leakage sources. Improved LDAR monitoring and repair operations have led to a substantial reduction in both methane and VOC emissions. QatarEnergy’s methane monitoring program also includes satellite monitoring to support State of Qatar commitments to the Oil and Gas Methane Partnership (OGMP) and Oil and Gas Climate Initiative (OGCI) Aiming for Zero Methane.
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QatarEnergy LNG's goals are aligned with those of the Ministry of Environment and Climate Change (MECC) in minimising wastewater discharge and maximising the efficient use of water. The Company has invested in a comprehensive Wastewater Reduction and Reuse (WRR) programme to achieve three key objectives. The first objective is to reduce wastewater injection into deep well formations. The second objective is to recycle water using advanced technologies – effectively treating wastewater for further use, thereby reducing intake of desalinated water for industrial operations. Thirdly, to reuse suitable streams of treated water for irrigation. The approach to treatment uses membrane bioreactor (MBR), ultrafiltration and reverse osmosis (RO) technology.
Most of our advanced wastewater treatment systems were successfully commissioned and comprise our Treated Industrial Process Water (TIPW), Zero Liquid Discharge (ZLD) and Wastewater Reduction and Reuse (WRR) facilities. Together, these facilities recycle and reuse more than 65% of the wastewater that we generate onsite. Our final WRR facility for QatarEnergy LNG 1 is expected to come online in 2025, which will further enhance our recycling and reuse capability. Our new wastewater facilities at NFXP will target a recycling and reuse rate of 75-85%. These projects provide annual savings of up to 1.5 billion litres of desalinated water representing the annual local water consumption of 7,800 people.
QatarEnergy LNG Waste Management approach is based on the primary objective of maintaining environmentally sound and compliant waste management operations throughout the waste life-cycle, from generation to final disposal.
QatarEnergy LNG maintains risk-based waste management operations and long-term waste disposal contract strategies aimed to contribute towards further development of local waste management infrastructure and recycling solutions. In recent years, the Company has partnered with a number of local companies and Small Medium Enterprises (SMEs) through a circular economy approach to promote and implement effective waste disposal practices by creating a market with shared vision and experience which has contributed to QatarEnergy LNG achieving waste recycling rates of over 50% on an annual basis.
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QatarEnergy LNG has undertaken a range of marine biodiversity conservation projects in cooperation with the Ministry of Environment & Climate Change (MECC). QatarEnergy LNG continued its collaboration with MECC, Qatar University (QU) and Ministry of Municipality to complete the latest phase of its unique and ambitious Coral Management Programme (CMP) which was launched in 2021. This programme cements QatarEnergy LNG’ proud legacy of marine biodiversity projects that started as early as 2007. QatarEnergy LNG has so far led the relocation of approximately 13,000 live corals and the deployment of 1,200 artificial reef modules to protect Qatar’s vulnerable marine ecosystem.
Figure: Coral Relocation Programme
Moreover, the first of its kind land-based Coral Nursery at the Aquatic Fisheries Research Center (AFRC) was established in 2021 by QatarEnergy LNG in Ras Matbakh and witnessed the arrival of 1,500 live corals from the QatarEnergy LNG Project site for coral husbandry, which included coral rehabilitation and fragmentation. The coral husbandry at AFRC resulted in formation of approximately 15,000 - 20,000 fragmented or juvenile corals that were out planted to different offshore locations around the State of Qatar.
Figure: Coral Nursery at Aquatic Fisheries and Research Center
QatarEnergy LNG also participated recently in the release of over 22,000 juvenile hamour fish by the AFRC into the QatarEnergy LNG coral recipient sites in Northern Qatar. The introduction of these juvenile fish was intended to further enrich the augmented sites by creating a productive marine ecosystem for the benefit of local fish and related marine species and supporting the enhancement of natural resources in the State of Qatar. QatarEnergy LNG is currently developing a dedicated Biodiversity Strategy to sustain our long-term contribution to national biodiversity plans.
QatarEnergy LNG maintains an environmental awareness program within the Company and engages actively with local communities and related stakeholders, such as local and international schools. The program addresses areas of national and global environmental concern and raises awareness about actions we can take in our daily lives to contribute towards a sustainable future. The Company’s recent awareness campaigns include: