Almotamar.net - President Ali Abdullah Saleh on Wednesday inaugurated the first phase of the project for Liquefied Natural Gas LNG exportation at the area of Belhaf in Shavwa governorate, Yemen.

The phase includes the reaching of LNG from gas fields from block 18 in Safer, Mareb through a pipeline extending from Safer to the area of Belhaf port on the coast of the Arabian Sea. The 322km-long pipeline extends from Safer to installations of liquefaction and exportation in Belhaf.

As soon as his arrival the President made a tour of parts of the project inspecting progress of work there in its final stages.

President Saleh listened to explanation presented by director of the project Mr Patrick Logout on phases of accomplishment in the project which is composed of two LNG liquefaction factories with a capacity of 6 million and 900 thousand tons of LNG per year at a rate of 3 million and 450 thousand tons of each factory , two of LNG 140 thousand cubic metres-capacity tanks , a 680m-long sea wharf for loading LNG tankers in addition to other facilities including an airport, houses for workers in the project, administration buildings and maintenance workshops in addition to requirements for operating the plants. The project also includes all units for LNG liquefaction before exportation.

President Saleh turned the wheel of operation as a sign of the beginning of the first phase of the project and the gas reaching to plants of liquefaction and lighting the torch of gas in the project. It is scheduled that the exportation process to begin next May.

The President gave statements to local, Arab and world media in which he expressed his happiness over inauguration of the project's 1st phase and said by opening this stage, four power-generating stations will be operated at a capacity of 80 megawatt. He added that immediately after finishing the second phase of the project LNG will flow into he tanks in the project of exportation in Belhaf area. President Saleh said the first shipment of LNG will be exported the beginning of next May. Affirming that the benefit will be for Yemen and the companies partners in the project, at the forefront of which is TOTAL Company. President Saleh added that this project is considered the first of its kind in the Middle East region and would be an important factor for the process of development in Yemen and vital contributor to provide jobs for the Yemeni labour.

The President has then watched a panoramic view of all components of the project whose cost amounts to about $4 billion and is one of the hugest strategic investment projects.

President Saleh then visited the offices of the Yemeni Company for LNG and met chairman of board of directors of the French TOTAL Company, discussing with him the existing cooperation of Yemen with the TOTAL Company and renewed his welcome of French investments in Yemen ,among them TOTAL Company.