ESR Technology wins GRP pipework consultancy contract for the Ras Laffan Cooling Seawater System project

Last month ESR Technology announced it had doubled the size of its Middle East presence, following a successful six months trading for its Abu Dhabi satellite office. This latest contract has been awarded by Dodsal Group, the Dubai-based engineering, procurement and construction multinational commissioned to deliver the US$1 billion cooling seawater system by state-owned Qatar Petroleum.

ESR Technology will review and advise on issues relating to material qualification, system design and installation for the 76 km of GRP pipes and fittings ranging from 50 mm up to 4000 mm. The basis for design of this project is ISO 14692 GRP piping, a standard published in 2002 by a technical committee chaired by Professor Simon Frost of ESR Technology.

The Dodsal project covers pumps as well as electrical and telecommunications systems at Ras Laffan in Qatar, a city with a thriving oil and gas production industry. The energy project will support the utility needs of Qatar Gas and Ras Gas in the production of liquid natural gas (LNG). The system will also supply seawater to Q Power to be used for cooling of machinery involved in LNG production and the desalination of seawater.

"The Dodsal project is an innovative use of GRP piping," said Geoff Eckold, ESR Technology's Engineering Director. "ESR Technology has been at the forefront of the engineering and implementation of GRP for many years. We are particularly pleased to be working with the Dodsal Group on this exciting project."