Qatar bucks global trend; GDP up 44pc
By Mohamed Saeed
DOHA: Showing exemplary resilience to the global recessionary pressure which began mounting late last year, the Qatari economy grew substantially in the fourth and last quarter of 2008 to QR83.2bn, from QR77.2bn in the corresponding period the previous year. more ...
Doha to host Green Building conference
BY SATISH KANADY
DOHA: Property developers, architects, urban designers and providers of green technologies will converge here for a three-day conference on “Middle East Qatar Green Buildings 2009”, slated to start on March 17, 2009. more ...
LNG vessels can ferry fresh water back: Expert
by Mobin Pandit
DOHA: Qatar can access fresh water in bulk from European and other countries using the large fleet of liquefied natural gas (LNG) vessels which ferry its natural gas to destinations around the world, says an LNG industry expert from Paris.
To carry fresh water back to Doha from LNG-receiving destinations, all Qatar needs to do is carry out minor modifications to the LNG vessels, said Damien Feger, Vice-President, LNG and Shipping, of ‘New Generation, Natural Gas’, a Paris-based company. more ...
and a related story
Qatar’s LNG capacity to rise: Official
By Nasser Al Harthy
DOHA: Qatar will account for nearly 50 percent of the 95.3 million tonnes per annum (mtpa) of new global production capacity by the end of 2012, according to a gas industry expert.
Andy Flower, an independent consultant specialising in the liquefied natural gas (LNG) business, said the period to the end of 2012 will see an unprecedented volume of new liquefaction capacity come on stream with Qatar taking the lead as its six 7.8 mtpa trains are commissioned. more ...
Doha to host World Petroleum Congress in 2011
By Nasser Al Harthy
DOHA: The World Petroleum Council Executive Committee yesterday announced that the Qatar National Convention Centre is the venue of choice to hold the prestigious 20th World Petroleum Congress in December 2011. Abdulreda Nayroze Abdulla Hassan, Qatar Petroleum Lead Coordinator for the 20th World Petroleum Congress said the theme will be ‘Energy Solutions for All Promoting Cooperation, Innovation and Investment’ which will focus the debate on solutions aimed at providing global access for all to reliable, affordable and sustainable energy in both the near and long term future. more ...
very brief regional business news
Syria launches first stock exchange
DAMASCUS: Syria launched its first stock exchange yesterday after years of delays, in the latest step to liberalise the country’s largely state-controlled economy. Finance Minister Mohammed Al Hussein rang the trading bell at a formal launch ceremony for the Damascus Securities Exchange, which will be open for trading two days a week.
and finally, the weather, also very brief since there is so little of it,
Dusty winds to hit Qatar today
DOHA: The country will experience strong dusty winds today due to an extending ridge of high pressure that was expected to hit Qatar around midnight. The temperature would dip to reach an average of 27 degrees Celsius and the visibility might go down to 1,000 metres or less in open areas.
And I can attest to the visibility even within the city where the high rises were swathed in dusty haze and barely visible as I approached downtown after work today.
