QAPCOs Summer Internship Training Program Proved To Be A Great Success

Doha, August 24 (QNA) - QAPCOs Summer Internship training program has once again proved to be a great success with 70 students from local and international universities visiting the petrochemical giant for an intensive 8 weeks training program. The program began in early June with a three day induction course designed to introduce the students to QAPCO and included Health & Safety training, orientation of the plant and issuing of personal protection equipment, said a press release QAPCO issued here on Saturday. As a true learning organization, QAPCO is proud to offer both Qatari and Expatriate students an opportunity to experience at first hand the excitement of working in a modern petrochemical plant and have engaged them in hands-on training that has given them a practical work-based insight into the academic theory they are currently studying at University and College. Plus it will help to prepare them for the growing opportunities both in QAPCO and in the Oil & Gas Industry in Qatar. Dr. Mohamed Yousef Al Mulla, QAPCOs VC&CEO, described the Internship program as critical to a students development saying "Internships offer learning experiences that are different to the theory learnt in the classroom and can help the student gain a good understanding of the Industry. It will also enhance the students academic and career goals connecting academic experience with the professional world of work." Elaborating Dr. Al Mulla said, "QAPCOs economic growth depends on recruiting the best and the brightest graduates. Thats why were focusing significant energy on showing our students the tremendous opportunities QAPCO has to offer after they finish their studies. This program also shines a spotlight on the critical role internships play not only in our Qatarization Strategy but in the strategic Qatarization goals of the country. I believe that the excellent approach to developing the technical knowledge and skills of students currently offered in our Universities and Colleges is one of our countries greatest assets, and gives the State of Qatar and QAPCO a significant competitive advantage that strengthens our connection between the enormous talent in our colleges and universities," Al-Mulla concluded . For his part, Dean Gordon, an Engineering student from Heriot Watts University in the UK and one of the Summer Internship students, described his time in QAPCO as "A truly wonderful experience one I will never forget." Dean wished to thank all at QAPCO . "The QAPCO Summer Internship program is a world class program and has allowed me to learn aspects of engineering that I would never learn in the classroom. It was really well organized and has opened my eyes to what is expected from an engineer. I recommend this program to all students it was just great," Gordon said. Qatar Petrochemical Company (QAPCO) has grown to be recognized as one of the largest producers of low density polyethylene (LDPE) in the Middle East. The company produces a wide range of LDPE grades suitable to all thermoplastics processing techniques with various applications, such as packaging films, agricultural films, extrusion and coating lamination films, high-clarity films, injection molding, cables, wires, foam and other products that are widely used all over the world and touching everyones daily life. QAPCO was established in 1974 as a joint multinational venture to utilize the associated and non-associated ethane gases from petroleum production in line with the industrialization plan of the State of Qatar. QAPCO is jointly owned by Industries Qatar (IQ) with 80% share and Total Petrochemicals France with 20% share. Located in Mesaieed Industrial City, QAPCOs manufacturing facilities consist of an 800 KTPA (kilo-ton per annum) ethylene plant, a 70 KTPA sulfur processing plant, and two LDPE plants with a combined capacity of 400 KTPA, In 2012, QAPCOs third LDPE plant was inaugurated and adds an extra capacity of 300 KTPA of LDPE, raising the companys total LDPE capacity to 700 KTPA and making QAPCO one of the largest producers of LDPE in the Middle East. In addition, QAPCO has self-sufficient utilities plants and other offsite and auxiliary facilities such as those for the production and supply of raw pyrolysis gasoline for SEEF Ltd. and for the manufacture of linear alkyl benzene. QAPCO also has facilities to process the C4+ stream from Q-Chem to convert it into high-value LPG, which is then supplied to QP. In a quest to integrate and expand its downstream industrial base and diversify its income resources, QAPCO is currently involved in a number of joint ventures that includes QVC, QATOFIN, QPPC, and RLOC, making it a regional petrochemical powerhouse. In addition, in February 2012, QP and QAPCO signed a Heads of Agreement (HOA) for the development of a new, mega-petrochemical complex in Ras Laffan Industrial City. The complex includes a world-scale steam cracker, with the feedstock coming from natural gas plants in Ras Laffan. The project is scheduled for completion in 2018. It is an important milestone in the industrial development of the State of Qatar, especially for the integration of its petrochemical industry. Qatar Petroleum has an 80% equity interest in the project, with QAPCO taking up the remaining 20% stake. QP and QAPCO will jointly develop the petrochemical complex. The plant will produce ethylene, high-density polyethylene (HDPE), linear low-density polyethylene (LLDPE), polypropylene and butadiene.(QNA)