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Society of Petroleum Engineers
Distinguished Lecturer Program
www.spe.org/dl
1
LNG Basics
for Petroleum Engineers
Michael Choi
2
Present an Overview of LNG Plant
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Oman LNG Plant
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Why LNG?
Typical Multi-Trains Plant
Pre-Treatment Required
Unique Auxiliary Facilities
Natural Gas Liquefaction
Thermodynamics
Commercial Liquefaction
Processes
Equipment for Liquefaction
Novel Plant Concepts
Concluding Remarks
3
Stranded Gas Looking for Markets
•  LNG Proved to be Most Economic for Distances >1,500 Mile
•  Transported in Insulated Tankers @ -162C & 1 atm.
•  Volume Reduction of 600:1
Supply
Demand
4
LNG Process & Equipment ?
Big Refrigeration System
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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
MakeUp Fuel
Gas
Gathering
Train 1
Gas
Inlet Gas
Reception
1.7 Bcfd
Fuel
Inlet Gas
Treating
NGL
Recovery
Liquefaction
LNG Storage
LNG
Liquid
Train 2
Condensate
Stabilization
9 Mtpa
(1.2 Bcfd)
NGL
Fractionation
Propane
Storage
Propane
Butane
Storage
Butane
Condensate
Storage
.73 Mtpa
(27 Mbpd)
.5 Mtpa
(17 Mbpd)
Condensate
1.2 Mtpa
(34 Mbpd)
6
Typical 2-Train LNG Plant
MakeUp Fuel
Gas
Gathering
Train 1
Inlet Gas
Reception
1.7 Bcfd
Fuel
Gas
Inlet Gas
Treating
NGL
Recovery
Liquefaction
LNG Storage
LNG
Liquid
Inlet Gas Reception
NGL Recovery
Inlet Gas Treating
•  Pipeline
Manifold
• forScrub
Column/KO
•  Amine
CO
NGLafter C3 Pre-Cool
2&
Train
2 H2S Removal
NGL
Fractionation
Fractionation
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Pig
Receivers
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Primarily
C4+
to Prevent Freezing
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<50
ppm
&
<
4
ppm
•  Deethanizer
•  Inlet
Separator
•  LNG
Heat Value
for US &
• Compression
Sulfur
Recovery
Unit ifImportant
H2S
•  Vapor
Condensate
European
Markets
•
Slug
Catcher
•
Mol
Sieve
Dehydration*
•  DepropanizerStabilization
& Treating
•  1,070 btu/scf Max
•
<
100
ppb
•  95%
& 200 psig
VP
Condensate
Stabilization
•  Need
Turbo-Expander for High
•
Mercury
Vapor
Removal*
•  <.5ppm
H
S
&
<15ppm
S
•  Multi-Stage
Column
2
C3+
Removal
•  Activated
Carbon Adsorber
•  Debutanizer
&Compressor
Treating
•  Vapor
•  95%
& 70psia
psigRVP
VP @100F
•  10-12
•  <.5ppm
H2S & <15ppm S
•  De-Odorized
9 Mtpa
(1.2 Bcfd)
Propane
Storage
Propane
Butane
Storage
Butane
Condensate
Storage
.73 Mtpa
(27 Mbpd)
.5 Mtpa
(17 Mbpd)
Condensate
1.2 Mtpa
(34 Mbpd)
7
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
•  Total Capacity Based on
Tanker Size (135,000 M3)
•  Plus 4+-Days Production
•  Top Entry In-Tank Pumps
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Inside the Tanks
Single-Stage
Multi-Stage
Tank with Pump Caissons
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LNG Loading System
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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
-162C
Propane
Temperature
Air/Water
25C
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Natural Gas Liquefaction Processes
25C
Gas Cooling
Condensation
Temperature
Min. DT
Liquid
Sub-cooling
-162C
ΔH (Enthalpy - Heat Removed)
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Cascade LNG Process
Most Straight Forward of All Processes
Kenai Plant Continuous Operation 1969
CoP License, Plant Build by Bechtel
80F
Propane
Refrig.
1st Stage
Temperature
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CoP Optimized
Cascade Refrigerant Cycle
2nd Stage
3th Stage
1st Stage
Ethylene Refrig
2nd Stage
1st Stage
-260F
Methane Refrig.
2nd Stage
.
3th Stage
ΔH (Enthalpy - Heat Removed)
Kenai, Alaska
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C3 Precooled – Mixed Refrigerant Process
Most Widely Used Licensed by APCI
1st Plant in Algeria Operating Since 1972
Plants Built by KBR, Chiyoda, JGC, FW
80F
Propane
Refrig.
1st Stage
Temperature
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Propane PreCooled
Mixed Refrigerant Cycle
2nd Stage
3th Stage
Mixed Refrigerant
-260F
ΔH (Enthalpy - Heat Removed)
QatarGas LNG Plant
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APCI AP-X Process
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Largest Train Capacity @ 8 Mtpa
Overcome Spiral Wound MCHE Limit
First Unit Started in 2009 (QG-II)
No Plants Outside of Qatar
APCI Supplies
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Process Design
Cold Boxes
Spiral Wound Exchanger
Turbo-Expanders
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All Processes Use Similar Equipment
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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
Cold Box Configuration
•  Many Manufacturers
•  Use Extensively in Air Separation
•  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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LNG ?
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