LNG
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Stranded Gas Looking for Markets
• LNG Proved to be Most Economic for Distances >1,500 Mile
• Volume Reduction of 600:1
• Transported in Insulated Tankers @ -162C & 1 atm.
Supply
Demand
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LNG Process & Equipment ?
Big Refrigeration System
• Compressor/Driver
• Refrigerant Condenser
• Evaporator (Process
Heat Exchanger)
Similar to the AC System
in Our Home!
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Typical 2-Train LNG Plant
Make- Fuel
Up Fuel
Gas
Train 1
Gathering
Inlet Gas Gas Inlet Gas NGL Liquefaction LNG Storage
Reception Treating Recovery
1.5 Bcfd Liquid LNG
8 Mtpa
NGL (1.1 Bcfd)
Train 2
Fractionation
Propane Propane
Condensate Storage .73 Mtpa
Stabilization (27 Mbpd)
Butane Butane
Storage .5 Mtpa
(17 Mbpd)
Condensate Condensate
Storage 1.2 Mtpa
(34 Mbpd)
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180,000 M3 LNG Tank
• Full-Containment Tank to
Reduce Impound Area &
Improve Safety
• Approx. 75M Dia x 40M
H
• Insulated for <.05%/D of
Boil-off
• Top Entry In-Tank Pumps
• Total Capacity Based on
Tanker Size (135,000 M3)
• Plus 4+ Days Production
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Inside the Tanks
Single-Stage Multi-Stage
Tank with Pump Caissons
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LNG Loading System
• 16” Chiksan Type
• 3+1 – LNG Arms
• 3,500 M3/Hr/Ea.
• 10,500 M3/Hr
• 140K M3 Tanker
• 4+1 – Systems
• 14,000 M3/Hr
• Qmax & Qflex
• 200K+ M3
• 1 – Vapor Return
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Cost of Refrigeration
Methane
or Nitrogen
Cost/Btu
Removed
Ethylene Air/Water
Propane
-162C Temperature 25C
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Natural Gas Liquefaction Processes
25C
Gas Cooling
Condensation
Temperature
Min. DT
Liquid
Sub-cooling
-162C
H (Enthalpy - Heat Removed)
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Cascade LNG Process
• Most Straight Forward of All Processes 80F Propane
Refrig.
• Kenai Plant Continuous Operation 1969
1st Stage
CoP Optimized
2nd Stage Cascade Refrigerant Cycle
Temperature
• CoP License, Plant Build by Bechtel
3th Stage
1st Stage
Ethylene Refrig
2nd Stage
1st Stage
2nd Stage
Methane Refrig. .
-260F 3th Stage
H (Enthalpy - Heat Removed)
Kenai, Alaska
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C3 Precooled – Mixed Refrigerant Process
• Most Widely Used Licensed by APCI 80F Propane
Refrig.
• 1st Plant in Algeria Operating Since 1972 1st Stage Propane PreCooled
Mixed Refrigerant Cycle
• Plants Built by KBR, Chiyoda, JGC, FW
2nd Stage
Temperature
3th Stage
Mixed Refrigerant
-260F
H (Enthalpy - Heat Removed)
QatarGas LNG Plant
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APCI AP-X Process
• Largest Train Capacity @ 8 Mtpa
• Overcome Spiral Wound MCHE Limit APCI Supplies
• Process Design
• First Unit Started in 2009 (QG-II)
• Cold Boxes
• No Plants Outside of Qatar • Spiral Wound Exchanger
• Turbo-Expanders
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All Processes Use Similar Equipment
GE MS7001 FB Gas Turbine
• Most New Plants Use Large Gas Turbine (& Combined
Cycle) to Drive Refrigerant Compressors
• Some Older & Smaller Trains Have Steam Turbine Drives
• Many Peak Shaving Plants on Electric Drives
• Use Large Process Type Centrifugal Compressors
• Main Difference is in the Cryogenic Heat Exchangers
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Main Cryogenic Heat Exchanger
Use by Mixed Refrigerant Process
Air Products & Chemicals
& Linde: Spiral Wound Ex.
• Max. Diameter: 5,030mm
• Height: ~55m
• Stainless Steel Core
• 25mm Aluminum Tubing
• Externally Insulated
• Chill & Liquefy Gas
– From –34ºC to –152ºC
– At 55 to 69 Barg
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APCI’s MR Main Cryogenic Heat Exchanger (MCHE)
Spiral Wound Design
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Heat Exchanger for Cascade Process
Plate Fin
Exchanger
• Many Manufacturers
• Use Extensively in Air Separation
Cold Box Configuration • Cascade & Other LNG Processes
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Advances in LNG Plants
Onshore
Conventional Design
Near-shore
GBS Design
Offshore
Steel or Concrete
Floater
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Conclusions
• LNG Liquefaction Process Same as AC System in Our Home
• Pre-Treatment Facilities Can Dwarf Liquefaction System
– Mole Sieve Dehydration & Mercury Removal Required
– Gas Treating & NGL Extraction May be Needed
– Stabilized Condensate & Fractionated NGL Add Value
• LNG Exchangers, Storage & Loading Systems Are Unique
• Commercial Liquefaction Processes Well Proven, Robust & Can
be Optimized for Plant Size, Gas Composition, Sales &
Commercial Needs
• Novel Near-Shore & Offshore Floating Concepts Are Developed
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