TPG 4140 Natural Gas - 2013

LNG fundamental principles and plant examples

Jostein Pettersen
1-

Outline
Why LNG?
What is LNG ? Block diagram Gas pre-treatment Gas liquefaction Some basics Process alternatives LNG storage and loading LNG transport LNG plant examples Focus on Hammerfest LNG / Snhvit

2-

Why produce LNG?

LNG is mainly produced for transportation purposes
When the gas market is far from the source of the natural gas it can be more economical to transport the gas as LNG instead of in a natural gas pipeline. LNG also offers greater flexibility than pipeline gas

3-

LNG Density
1 m3 LNG corresponds to ca 600 Sm3 natural gas
S = Standard state, 15C, 1 atm

Natural gas

At temperatures above -110 C LNG vapour is lighter than air LNG is lighter than water LNG Density: 450 kg/m3 Water density: 1000 kg/m3

LNG

4-

Types of liquefaction plants

Base-load plants
Large plants which are directly based on a specific gas field development and are the main plants for handling the gas. A base-load plant has typically a production capacity of above 3 Mtpa (million tons per annum) of LNG (i.e. . The main world-wide LNG production capacity come from this type of plants

Peak-shaving plants
Smaller plants that are connected to a gas network. During the period of the year when gas demand is low, natural gas is liquefied and LNG is stored. LNG is vaporized during short periods when gas demand is high. These plants have a relatively small liquefaction capacity (as 200 tons/day ca 70 ktpa) and large storage and vaporization capacity (as 6000 tons/day). Especially in the US many such plants exist

Small-scale plants
Small-scale plants are plants that are connected to a gas network for continuous LNG production in a smaller scale. The LNG is distributed by LNG trucks or small LNG carriers to various customers with a small to moderate need of energy or fuel. This type of LNG plants typically has a production capacity below 500 ktpa. In Norway and China several plants within this category is in operation.

5-

LNG global base load liquefaction plants (2013)

Source: IHS CERA. 00406-6_2808 2013, IHS Inc. No portion of this presentation may be reproduced, reused, or otherwise distributed in any form without prior written consent.

Block diagram Gas processing

7-

Simplified LNG plant block diagram

Fuel gas
(CO2 and H2S) CH4/N2

End flash HHC Extraction

(C5+) Power & heat

8-

(C4 and C3)

Gas conditioning (pre-treatment)

Acid Gas (CO2 and H2S) removal
Acid gas causes corrosion, reduces heating value, and may freeze and create solids in cryogenic process
Typical requirements for LNG: Max 50 ppmv CO2, Max 4 ppmv H2S
(ppmv - parts per million by volume)

Usual process: aMDEA (Amine)

Dehydration (water removal)

Water will freeze in cryogenic process Typical requirement: Max 1 ppmw (weight) H2O (In some cases max 0.1 ppmw) Usual process: Adsorption (Mol sieve)

Mercury removal
Mercury can cause corrosion problems, especially in aluminium heat exchangers Requirement: Max 0.01 g/Nm3 Usual process: Adsorption

9 - 2010-09-26

Liquefaction process

10 -

Example of natural gas path through liquefaction

pressure-enthalpy diagram (C1:89.7% C2:5,5% C3:1.8% N2:2.8%)
100

-200oC

-150oC

-100oC

t = -50oC

0 oC

50oC

Subcooling

Liquefaction

Precooling

Expansion
Pressure [bara]

s = constant
10

JT Throttling

1 -900
11 - 2010-09-26

End -800 flash -700

-600

-500 LNG

-400

-300

-200

-100

100

200

Enthalpy [kJ/kg]

Vapour pressure of pure fluids relevant for LNG processes

Refrigerant Vapour Pressure
100

N2
Pressura(Bara)

C1

Ethylene C2
N2

C3
10

C1
C2

C3

NC4

Ethy

n-C4
LNG Range

1 -200

-150

-100 Temp(C)

-50

50

12 -

Liquefaction process licensors

Base load LNG plants (3+ Mtpa)
Air Products and Chemicals Inc. (APCI)
World leader since since the 1970s ca 80 operating trains Propane Precooled Mixed Refrigerant (C3MR) process dominates AP-XTM (QatarGas II, III and IV, RasGas III: Six trains of 7.8 Mtpa each, Start up 2008)

ConocoPhillips (Optimised) Cascade

Alaska: Kenai (Operating since 1969!) Trinidad: Atlantic LNG - 4 trains Egypt: Idku 2 trains Australia: Darwin LNG 1 train Equatorial Guinea 1 train Angola 1 train DMR Double Mixed Refrigerant (Sakhalin, 2 x 4.8 Mtpa start-up 2007) PMR (same as C3MR but parallel MR circuits) no references

Shell

Linde MFC Mixed Fluid Cascade Process (Snhvit, 4.3 Mtpa start up 2007)

13 -

Liquefaction process selection

(Source: M. Nored, Apache Corp, 2013)

C3MR

14 - 2010-09-26

Simplified cascade process for natural gas liquefaction

1.4 bar
45 bar

1.4 bar

19 bar

1.4 bar

7 bar

LNG -155 C

-96 C

-32 C

12 C

NG

Methane Ethylene Propane

15 -

Temperature stages in cascade process

16 -

Example of single-mix refrigerant cycle for natural gas liquefaction (Prico cycle) (Max 1.2 Mtpa)
NG 12 C 30 bar

Composition: NG C1 Refrig 0.897 0.360

12 C

6,5 C 99,8 C

C2
C3 nC4 N2

0.055 0.280
0.018 0.110 0.001 0.150 0.028 0.100

-155 C
LNG

5 bar -155 C -155,5 C

17 - 2010-09-26

Temperature enthalpy diagram of Prico example

150

100

NG
12 C 30 bar

50
12 C
6,5 C 99,8 C -155 C
LNG

NG 60 bar

Temperature, C

0
5 bar
-155 C -155,5 C

-50

Mixed refrigerant
-100

-150

NG
-200 -1500 -1000 -500 0 Enthalpy, x 10^6 kJ/hr 500 1000 1500

18 - 2010-09-26

Propane precooled mixed refrigerant (C3MR) (Air Products and Chemicals Inc. - APCI)

Illustration from CB&I

19

Compressor driver selection

(Source: M. Nored, Apache Corp, 2013)

Industrial gas turbines

20 - 2010-09-26

LNG storage and loading

21 - 2010-09-26

LNG tank containment principles

22 - 2010-09-26

Example of full-containment LNG tank design

Pre-stressed concrete outer walls
constructed by slipforming, sheathed internally with a gas-tight layer of nickel-alloyed steel. Inner tank in nickel-alloyed steel, separated from the outer walls by a layer of perlite - a variety of volcanic obsidian highly suitable for insulation Extra layer of steel and insulation at

the transition between outer wall and

tank bottom to protect it against strong local stresses should the inner tank begin to leak. Heating cables under the tanks will ensure that the ground remains above 0C in order to prevent frost heaving.
23 - 2010-09-26

Typical storage and loading system

24 - 2010-09-26

Loading arms connected

25 - 2010-09-26

LNG ships

26 -

LNG transportation technical aspects

LNG is transported at 163 deg. C and at atmospheric pressure
This low temperature require that the LNG is transported and handled with special consideration, i.e. Completely separated from the ships hull LNG temperature must be maintained during the voyage requiring efficient insulation of the cargo tanks and handling of boil off gas (BOG) All cargo handling equipment must be able to operate at the low temperature of -163 deg. C

Two basically different cargo containment systems are used:

Self supported independent tanks (Moss Rosenberg spherical tanks, IHI SPB, cylindrical tanks) Membrane tanks (Gaz Transport and Technigaz (GTT))

Market share between the two concepts has been about. 50/50 - but the membrane concept has been increasingly selected for recent newbuilding orders.

27 -

Cargo containment systems

Spherical tanks (Moss Rosenberg) Membrane containment

28 -

Plant examples:
- Trinidad Atlantic LNG - Darwin LNG (Australia) - Yemen LNG - Hammerfest LNG / Snhvit

29 - 2010-09-26

Jetty

Atlantic LNG - Trinidad

Jetty

Compressors

Air cooled condensers Source: www.comenco.it

30

Cold boxes (Heat exchangers)

Darwin LNG (Australia)

Source: www.lngfacts.org

31

Yemen LNG
Water cooled
Sources: www.yemenlng.com www.yemenfox.net www.nationalyemen.com

32

703948N 234055E

Facts: Discovered:

1981 84

Water depth: Distance to shore: Gas in place (GIP): Recoverable reserves : Condensate:

250 340 m 140 km 317 GSm3 193 GSm3 34 MSm3

Snhvit, Albatross and Askeladd

Original 2002 figures

Owners:
Statoil ASA (Operator) Petoro AS Total E&P Norge AS GDF Suez Norge AS RWE Dea Norge AS 36.79% 30.00% 18.40% 12.00% 2.81%

100

200 km
G:\T&P\ANT\MBM\NKG\Mapdata\NO\Norge_Oversikt\Lisenskart\Mxd\Statoil_Hydro_let_lic_tot_20070401vle.mxd

Hammerfest Melkya (May 2006)

2010-09-26

Slug catcher

Inlet facilities

SNHVIT
Simplified overview
Pretreatment

Carbon dioxide

MEG recovery Snhvit

LNG production Precooling cycle Liquefaction cycle Subcooling cycle

Production wells Fractionation

Production wells

Plem
Condensate production CO2 Injection well LPG production CDU

Storage and loading: LNG, LPG, condensate

Production wells

Albatross

Seabed CO2 Injection well Production well Reservoir

2010-09-26 Prepared by Petrolink as

HAMMERFEST LNG Process area

1

Natural gas Cold Box

Nitrogen Removal Cold Box

Process substation

Process area

Compressor area

Electric power generation

Mixed Fluid Cascade (MFC) Liquefaction process and power/heat generation at Hammerfest

65 MW NGL

32 MW

65 MW

Prefabrication and use of large modules

Why this very large extent of prefabrication?

Harsh weather conditions Remoteness lack of necessary infrastructure Reduce the necessity of steel work at site Higher productivity at construction yard Reduce work at site in general of the total estimate of 15 million man-hours to build the plant, 50 % is done at site.

2010-09-26

Cold box

Process plant

Prefabrication LNG plant on a barge

Process systems on the barge Weight: 21.000 tonnes Height over deck: 60 m

Barge Weight: 10.000 tonnes Size: 154 x 54 x 9m

Blue Marlin and process barge in Cadiz.

Hammerfest here we are!

In-docking of process-barge.

21 August 2007: Production start

13.09.07 First LNG to tank

26.09.07 First condensate cargo 20.10.07 First LNG cargo

Arctic Shipping

47 - 2010-09-26