Qatargas' new Ras Laffan refinery is now in the commissioning phase and is due to start operations this year, chief executive Faisal Al-Suwaidi said at a gas conference in Abu Dhabi on Monday.

In March, the company said it would would start its 140,000 barrel per day Ras Laffan refinery in July and was looking to complete work on doubling the plant's capacity by 2014.

Qatargas is one of two majority state owned companies in Qatar that produce liquefied natural gas, which is natural gas chilled to liquid form for transport.-Reuters