Australian Operational Focus Leads to Successful GLNG Performance
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p1-8_LNG 3 07/03/2017 13:12 Page 1 64 pages essential LNG news! March 2017 In this issue: 1 Australian operational focus leads to successful GLNG performance GLNG Operations, ConocoPhillips and Bechtel report on Queensland project Australian operational focus leads 6 As import facilities expand LNG will increasingly be to successful GLNG performance used to fill energy gaps Royal Dutch Shell keeps up tradition GLNG Operations, ConocoPhillips and Bechtel report on Queensland project of BG overview often published for Gastech GLNG is a joint venture between Santos 10 A round-up of latest of Australia, PETRONAS of Malaysia, events, company and Total of France and KOGAS of South industry news Korea. The joint venture extracts gas For the Record from coal seams in the Surat and Bowen 39 American Bureau of basins of Queensland which is Shipping explains LNG fuel transported by high pressure pipeline to progress and guidance Curtis Island, off the coast from gained from early movers Gladstone, for conversion to LNG. LNG is an historic vessel power The Curtis Island facility comprises a transition like sail-to-coal, coal-to- oil and now oil-to-gas two-train LNG plant - each train with nameplate capacity of 3.9 million tonnes 43 Development and per annum, two 140,000 cubic metres industrialization of new capacity LNG storage tanks and a versions of LNG carrier product loading jetty. membrane containment systems GLNG awarded Bechtel the front-end David Colson, Commercial Vice- engineering and design contract for the President, and Guillaume Leclere, Curtis Island facility way back in Innovation Manager, Gaztransport December 2008, followed by the & Technigaz, France Figure 1: GLNG’s two-Train LNG facility located on Curtis Island in Gladstone engineering, procurement and Harbour, in the eastern state of Queensland (courtesy of GLNG) 46 Malaysian LNG carriers construction contract in January 2011. manage to maintain their A proven lump-sum, turn-key (LSTK) the different phases of CSU and through while construction continues in the edge for profitability in contractual approach was implemented, operation of the LNG plant. remaining sections. challenging market where the contractor maintained Bechtel and ConocoPhillips also First LNG production from GLNG’s Even with state energy company responsibility for commissioning and developed an intensive operations Trains 1 and 2 was achieved in Petronas as a core client, MISC has refocused strategy start-up (CSU) and operations until the training program, which was provided September 2015 and May 2016, performance test and other turnover prior to CSU and supplemented with “on respectively. Train 1 achieved sustainable 48 Corban Energy of US criteria were met. the job” training throughout the CSU nameplate production capacity 135 days explains LNG link to process. This ensured that at plant from introduction of feed gas, and Train 2 operations for coal-fired Strategy handover the GLNG team was fully achieved the same in only 80 days. power in West Virginia John Schlosberg, Corban Energy, This strategy integrates owner and proficient in the operation of the facility. In addition, the production from both USA, and Kevin Peterson, Longview licensor personnel into the contractor’s As with any large project, a few issues trains exceeds nameplate capacity as Power Plant, explain how LNG CSU team and enables a smooth occurred during start-up and the first confirmed through formal performance improves operational flexibility transition from contractor to owner at the year of operation, which required tests. These were impressive 51 Equipment made to turnover of an operational plant that resolution. accomplishments and this article will withstand harsh meets production targets. Nevertheless, the facility’s share insights into how they were environments remains GLNG resourced the project with a performance and relatively limited achieved. key to operating and strong owner’s project team and from occurrence of serious operational isolation philosophies the earliest stages of design, problems are positive testament to the GLNG’s vision Supply companies such as AEV, Orton and Control Seal offer most incorporated key members of the liquefaction technology selected and the GLNG’s vision was to build and operate sizes for ranges of plants operations team to maintain a focus on collaborative operations team’s focus an efficient LNG production facility well start-up and operations throughout all throughout all project phases. suited to the unique characteristics of gas 54 World Carrier Fleet: project stages. Once installed, the technology is produced from coal seams. Details of LNG vessels A fully integrated CSU team from simple and easy to operate. Additionally, Some of the key characteristics of coal 59 Tables of import and GLNG, Bechtel and ConocoPhillips was it allows for faster commissioning and seam gas (CSG) include a gradual ramp export LNG terminals formed in the earlier stages of the project. startup, since commissioning can up to full production and a sensitivity to and plants worldwide This team worked together throughout progress in some sections of the plant the wells being fully shut-in (in some p1-8_LNG 3 07/03/2017 13:12 Page 2 LIQUEFACTION cases CSG wells can require work-over journal after being shut-in to recover production). Good facility turndown, high plant availability and minimization of full LNG train outages are important requirements to achieve when operating a plant to convert CSG to LNG. LNG The World’s Leading publication After a thorough review, GLNG selected the Optimized Cascade® Process Maritime Content Ltd as the technology, together with the 1st Floor, 30 Warner Street Global LNG Collaboration between London EC1R 5EX ConocoPhillips and Bechtel to design, United Kingdom construct and commission the two train, www.LNGjournal.com +44 (0)20 7253 2700 7.8 MTPA LNG facility. The technology delivers high Publisher availability and thermal efficiency Stuart Fryer throughout a wide range of feed gas Editor compositions without the need to adjust John McKay refrigerant compositions. [email protected] Approach Advertising The two-trains-in-one approach, where Figure 2: ConocoPhillips Optimized Cascade® Process Technology with NRU David Jeffries Option (courtesy of ConocoPhillips) ONLY MEDIA LTD one train of highly reliable heat Tel: +44 (0)20 8674 9444 exchangers and other process equipment other contaminants before routing to the vessel sizing criteria, and other critical Fax: +44 (0)20 8674 2743 is served by two parallel refrigeration liquefaction section of the plant. considerations are already well known. [email protected] turbine/compressor sets, prevents total Schedule reducing synergies exist Subscriptions Sales Manager train downtime in the event of any single Heat exchangers throughout all phases of the project, from Elena Fuertes turbine/compressor string trip. The treated gas is then chilled and pre-FEED through commissioning Tel: + 44 (0) 7017 3416 In such an event, the design allows condensed in successively colder heat and startup. [email protected] operators to quickly and easily rebalance exchangers, using pure propane, Key to success: fully integrated Production refrigerant loads and maintain ethylene, and methane refrigerants until commissioning and start-up team: With Vivian Chee production in excess of 60 percent. LNG is produced. the chosen contracting strategy (EPC- Tel: +44 (0) 20 8995 5540 Another highly desirable feature of The design for GLNG includes an LSTK), both ConocoPhillips and Bechtel [email protected] the Optimized Cascade® Process is integrated nitrogen rejection unit (NRU) were incentivized to complete the project the ability to re-start a tripped configured to achieve optimal LNG plant with fully operational trains meeting turbine/compressor with little or performance and maximize the net production and efficiency targets, as Subscription no flaring. present value of the facility. demonstrated through formal 72-hr However, even in the event of a total The LNG product is then pumped into performance tests. Print & online £655/€810/US$1050 plant trip, liquefaction process insulated storage tanks in preparation This structure was beneficial to GLNG Online only £595/€795/US$950 temperatures, pressures, and liquid for shipment. Boil off gas and ship return because at turnover of care custody, and See website for more details levels, due to the design of the vapors are captured and recycled through control (TCCC) of the plant, GLNG did www.lngjournal.com liquefaction unit facilities, are the Optimized Cascade® Process for not have to pursue the contractor for [email protected] maintained for prolonged periods, efficient re-liquefaction and maximum assistance with work items during the hotline +44 (0)20 7017 3416 enabling a rapid restart of the plant. output. commissioning and start-up phases, as The infrequency of plant trips, Santos’ experience as an equity such items remained within the combined with the ability to restart partner in the Darwin LNG project contractor’s area of responsibility. quickly when a total plant trip provided confidence in the Optimized Bechtel also benefitted from this does occur, help maximize the overall Cascade® Process and the ConocoPhillips structure because at the time of TCCC facility availability and production and Bechtel LNG Collaboration. Another they would have resolved the majority of No part of this publication may be reproduced efficiency, which are key elements important consideration was the