10 Qatari projects you should be involved in

The key projects every contractor and supplier should know about.

If there is one country unlikely to feel the effects of the global credit crunch, it's Qatar. The small Gulf state sits on some of the world's largest natural gas reserves, which has given it massive budget surpluses and average GDP of approximately US $30,000 per head, one of the world's highest.

According to Proleads' latest research, some key projects are behind schedule but nothing has yet been cancelled or put on hold. At the end of March 2009, it calculated that 191 major civil projects were underway worth a total of around US $82.5 billion.

Qatar is, therefore, a market that no sub-contractor can afford to ignore. Here, Construction Week profiles ten projects in Qatar that everyone should know about.

1. Education City

Client: Qatar Foundation

Estimated value: US $8.24 billion

Schedule: Initial phase scheduled to be completed in 2010.

Scope: Education City is the flagship project of Qatar Foundation. Located on the western edge of Doha, it is a campus that spreads over 10 million m². The campus houses branches of world famous educational institutions in a set of futuristic buildings. The master plan of the campus was devised by Japanese architect Arata Isozaki. The project will be completed according to its original parameters in 2010. However, further land has been acquired adjacent to the campus, to allow for future development and expansion.

KEO was appointed as the programme and construction manager for the overall development. Contrack, a subsidiairy of Orascom Construction Industries, has won a number of contracts on the project.

2. New Doha International Airport

Client: New Doha International Airport Steering Committee.

Estimated value: US $11 billion

Schedule: Work began in 2004 and final completion is expected in 2015

Scope: With a land area in excess 22km², the New Doha International Airport is designed to handle 50 million passengers, 2 million tonnes of cargo, and 320,000 aircraft landings and takeoffs each year.

Over 60 million m³ of fill will be reclaimed from the sea and used to create the site, while over 6.2 million m³ of improperly disposed household waste has been removed from the site and disposed of in an engineered landfill. The runways, taxiways and aprons of the new airport require 3.7 million tonnes of high quality polymer asphalt and an additional 115,000m³ of concrete, while 800,000m³ of concrete will be needed for facility structures.

More than 100 hectares alongside the new airport have been reserved for commercial development, including a free trade zone, offices, hotels, and retail mall.

The contract for the first phase of the airport construction and the planning and design phase was awarded to Bechtel Group Inc. In May 2006, Takenaka won a major contract to build the VIP terminal.

3. Lusail

Client: Qatari Diar

Estimated value: US $5.5 billion

Schedule: Infrastructure works are scheduled to be completed in 2011.

Scope: Lusail is an all-new coastal city under construction north of Doha. It will cover 35km² and has a projected value of around US $5.5 billion. It is a multi-district, multiphase project with marinas, a corniche, themed residential areas, commercial districts, amenities and entertainment facilities. According to the master-developer, Qatari Diar, around 200,000 people will eventually live there. Qatari Diar is responsible for all essential infrastructure work and for selecting and supervising sub-developers within the project. Lusail is also home to Energy City, a business district aimed at companies involved in the hydrocarbon business.

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