Reuters reported that Qatar expects to increase exports of liquefied petroleum gas to 11 million tonnes per year 2012 and 12 million tonnes in 2013.

Mr Mohammed al Sada energy minister of Qatar said that “Today we have 10 million tonnes available for export. Next year it will be around 11 million and in 2013 it will be 12 million.”

Propane and butane, the two gases that make up LPG, are used globally as cooking fuel, gasoline blending components and petrochemical feedstocks. Qatar strips the LPG from its natural gas of which it is a leading producer and exporter.

The Pearl project, a joint development by Qatar Petroleum and Shell located at Qatar's industrial city of Ras Laffan will make GTL products including diesel, kerosene, naphtha and lubricant oils as well as condensates and liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) when it reaches full capacity next year.

(Sourced from Reuters)