Shell has partially restarted its Pearl gas-to-liquids (GTL) plant in Qatar, but when normal lubricant base oil production and deliveries will resume is not confirmed.
In an Oct. 8 report, Reuters said the restart would allow Shell to build limited product inventories in storage. The company said its ability to ship products remained dependent on regional security conditions, including safe passage through the Strait of Hormuz.
Pearl is one of the world’s largest sources of GTL base oils, with Shell reporting capacity of about 30,000 barrels per day. The facility converts natural gas from Qatar’s North Field into base oil, fuels and chemical feedstocks. Its base oils are shipped to distribution hubs in Houston, Hamburg and Hong Kong before being supplied to Shell’s lubricant blending plants worldwide.
The plant was damaged during an attack on Qatar’s Ras Laffan industrial area in March, forcing a shutdown. The second of its two processing trains sustained damage, and Shell has said repairs were expected to be finished in the first quarter of 2027. That date is als not confirmation of a return to normal base oil output.
Shell has not publicly confirmed current base oil production volumes, resumed base oil cargoes or a timetable for normal deliveries.