Qatar Petroleum will integrate the Qatar Vinyl company (QVC) into the country’s largest petrochemicals producer to create synergies between the two companies, the national oil company announced.

The activities of QVC, part of Doha-listed Mesaieed Petrochemical, will be integrated into Qatar Petrochemical Company (Qapco). Qapco is itself a subsidiary of Qatar-listed Industries Qatar (IQ), which is 51-per-cent-owned by QP.

“The integration will not result in any change to the shareholder ownership but will allow the realisation of synergies through creating a single entity that operates the assets on behalf of both companies’ shareholders,” QP said in a statement, adding that the move would reduce operating costs.

The integration process is expected to start in March and to be completed before the end of the year.

“In line with our vision and commitment to building world-class Qatari talent, we will ensure that all Qatari nationals currently employed by QVC will be integrated into the new Qapco organisation,” said Saad Sherida al-Kaabi, president and CEO of QP.

The announcement did not reveal how the integration would affect expatriate workers at QVC. The company states on its website that the initial workforce numbered around 180 employees.

QVC was established in 1997 at Mesaieed Industrial City approximately 40 km South of Doha. It has the capacity to produce 355,000 tonnes a year (t/y) of vinyl chloride monomer (VCM), 180,000 t/y of ethylene dichloride (EDC) and 370,000 t/y of caustic soda.