The construction of the Qatari/UK/Dutch Pearl Gas to Liquids (GTL) project in Qatar is scheduled for completion by the end of 2010, Qatari daily The Peninsula reports.

The first of two platform structures for the project have been lifted into place some 60 kilometres off the Qatari coast, the partners said. The installation was carried out by UAE-based J Ray McDermott. The second platform is also being built by J Ray McDermott and will be transported to Qatar in the coming months.

The project is being developed at Ras Laffan by state-owned Qatar Petroleum (QP) and UK-Dutch oil major, Shell. The estimated $18-19bn Pearl project will be the first integrated GTL operation in the world, with upstream natural gas production integrated with an onshore conversion plant. It will convert about 1.6 billion cubic feet a day (cf/d) of natural gas produced at Qatar’s North field, into liquid fuels such as diesel and naphtha. The project will have a capacity of 140,000 barrels of oil equivalent a day.