GE Oil & Gas is building a new facility in Qatar's Ras Laffan Industrial City that will act as a service technology hub for customers.

Site construction has already commenced, and a ribbon cutting ceremony is planned for April 2008, the company said.

The GE Oil & Gas Qatar Service Center and Repair Workshop will expand GE’s local service capabilities, strengthening local technical support and reducing turn-around times for projects throughout the region.

“Establishing the Qatar service complex reflects GE’s strong commitment to continue increasing our technology and service offerings for our customers in Qatar, one of the fastest growing centers for the oil and gas industry worldwide,” said Jeff Nagel, vice president, Global Services, GE Oil & Gas.

Long active in the region, GE has provided gas turbines, compressors and other equipment to support Qatar’s natural gas and LNG industries for more than 35 years. In addition, GE holds several contractual service agreements in Qatar, as well as provides integrity management services for existing gas pipelines in the country, and remote monitoring and diagnostic services for many machines installed in the region.

"GE's new Qatar service center and repair workshop will help our customers in the region address their pressing needs to boost production and implement greater operational efficiencies, chiefly by keeping their equipment working at full capacity for as long as possible while reducing the length of any maintenance outages," said Mohammad Ayoub, operations leader and region general manager - Middle East for GE Oil & Gas.

The new service center will represent a reference point for GE’s already existing local capabilities such as field service, installation, commissioning, trouble-shooting, warranty management support and related services for GE equipment, he said.

“The center will also introduce into Qatar new, high-technology capabilities for the inspection and repair of rotating equipment,” said Nagel. “It will provide a focal point for GE’s state-of-the-art repair technologies in the region, including balancing for large rotors, repair of hot gas and combustion parts, and compressor maintenance.”

The complex will include a repair shop, offices and auxiliary facilities. Total plant area will encompass more than 36,000 sq m with the covered area including more than 3,000 sq m.  As many as 60 people are expected to work in the center over the next several years, including engineers, project managers, technicians, technical advisors, supervisors, and commercial and finance managers. -TradeArabia News Service