LNG facilities

1 The LNG value chain

Typically, natural gas is fed in through over thousands of kilometres of pipelines and
compressors transporting the natural gas with high pressure. However, for natural
gas producing areas which are not connected directly to pipeline networks the
transportation of liquefied natural gas (“LNG”) via special designed ships is the only
distribution channel.

The important stages of the LNG value chain are:

• Exploration and gas treatment of natural gas

• Liquefaction of natural gas into LNG
• Transportation of LNG
• Storage of LNG
• Re-gasification of LNG into natural gas
• Supply

LNG storage LNG Vaporization

Liquefaction
tank Facility
facility
Supply Unloading
Loading on and storage
LNG ship of LNG Supply
LNG ship

Natural
Gas Field

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1.1 Liquefaction of natural gas
Natural gas has to be liquefied for shipping. In the liquefaction facility gas flows
through several heat exchangers and is cooled in several stages until it obtains its
liquid form, at -259°F/-161°C. By liquefying the ga s, its volume is reduced by a factor
of 600.
Prior liquefaction components of the natural gas are removed. Although the amount
of these components in the natural gas are negligible they might cause damage the
facilities, for instance they might freeze up and break the facilities. These
components are hydrocarbons, water, carbon dioxide, nitrogen, oxygen and
especially sulphur compounds.

1.2 Transportation of LNG

LNG is transported in double-hulled ships (a tank within a tank) specifically designed
to handle the low temperature of LNG under atmospheric pressure. The inner hull
prevents LNG from heating up, expanding and overpressure whereas the outer hull
prevents the LNG from spreading out into the ambient air. During loading and
transportation a small amount of LNG evaporates. This so called “boil-off-gas" is
used for supplement fuel for the carriers or gets re-liquefied and is sent back to the
tanks.

There are mainly two different carrier types which differ from their tank design: LNG
ships with spherical tanks (A) and LNG membrane ships (B). LNG ships with
spherical tanks are most common in the past. However, the membrane ships are
more and more in demand because their cargo capacity is higher at the same ship
size.

(A) (B)

1.3 Terminal
At LNG Terminals the LNG is loaded or
unloaded. When LNG ships arrived with
loaded tanks at the LNG terminals, unloading
arms on the dock will be connected to the
ship. The ship’s pump transfers LNG through
pipelines to storage tanks.

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1.3.1 LNG storage tank
These specific for LNG designed storage tanks are locally placed next to liquefaction
and receiving and re-gasification facilities. After liquefaction LNG is stored in LNG
storage tank waiting to be shipped on a specified LNG ship.
At final destinations the LNG ship is moored and the unloading arms on the dock
have been connected, the ship's pumps will transfer LNG into the onshore LNG
storage tanks.
LNG can be stored in different types of storage tanks: Above-ground and below-
ground tanks.
Above-ground tanks are very common worldwide due to their economic construction
and their easy maintenance. Below-ground tanks however are more expensive and
are more complex regarding maintenance. In-ground tanks, Underground tanks and
In-pit tanks are variants of below ground tanks. While the roofs of in-ground tanks are
above the ground, underground tanks are completely buried under the earth.
Underground in-pit tanks have a double metal shell with an inner and outer tank. The
inner tank is made of metal with high resistance to low temperature. Additional
insulation of thermal insulating materials and dry nitrogen gas fills the space between
the inner and outer tanks.
LNG is cryogenic which means that it is not necessary to store LNG under pressure.

1.3.2 Re-gasification of LNG into natural gas

Before it is fed in the local pipeline network LNG is re-heated back to its gaseous
phase by heat exchangers in re-gasification facilities.
LNG is pumped from the storage tanks to the re-gasification facilities. By re-
gasification, different media can be used.

In so-called „Open Rack Vaporizer“ sea water is used as heating source for
vaporizing LNG. Seawater flows down on the outside surface of the aluminium or
stainless steel heat exchanger panel and vaporizes LNG inside of the panel.

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In „Submerged Combustion Vaporizer“ the submerged combustion burner uses
natural gas to heat water which is used as heat source for vaporizing.

Quelle: www.cryonorm.nl

Other types for vaporizing LNG are “Double Tube Vaporizer” (DTV), “Plate Fin
Vaporizer” (PFV) and “Air Fin Vaporizer” (HAV) is further techniques to vaporize
LNG.

2 Challenge
Numerous regulations, guidelines, standards dictate safety arrangements regarding
LNG facilities. The standards below address also the gas detector systems.

• 49CFR Part 193 (Liquefied Natural Gas Facilities: Federal Safety Standards)
• NFPA 59A (Standard for the Production, Storage, and Handling of Liquefied
Natural Gas (LNG))
• EN 1473 (Installation and equipment for liquefied natural gas - Design of
onshore installations)
• ICG Code (International Code for the Construction and Equipment of Ships
Carrying Liquefied Gases in Bulk)

The greatest hazard is when LNG spills and is able to form a methane-ambient air -
vapour cloud. This happens when leakages on facilities and pipes occur. Therefore
almost all facilities are a source of danger. If the methane concentration amount to
between 5 Vol.-% and 15 Vol.-% in this mixture, then it is flammable.
Supply lines, flanges, valves are potential leakage sources. In order to warn the
workers onboard as well on land at or in the facilities in time and in order to take
actions preventing any harm, gas and fire detection systems are used.

2.1.1 On board
Gas and fire detection systems on board are installed in compressor rooms, control
rooms and around the tanks.

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2.1.2 On land
Besides smoke detectors, low temperature detectors also gas detectors especially IR
sensors for methane detection, open path systems and flame detectors, are
deployed at nearly all facilities:
Open Path Systems can be used at the unloading berth, at the storage tanks and
liquefaction facilities. Infra-red point gas detectors are used at the air inlet to fire
equipment and at building heating, ventilation and air-conditioning (HVAC) inlets, at
storage tanks and also in the liquefaction and re-gasification facilities.
Electrochemical sensors might be used for O3 and NH3 detection for water treatment.
H2S sensors could be also used for detecting H2S releases during the gas treatment
before liquefaction because untreated natural gas contains a considerable amount of
H2S. O2 Sensor might be also installed in areas where workers stay, for example
control rooms.
The unloading berth is covered by flame detectors.

In case of leakage or flame detection workers will be warned, evacuated and

extinguishing systems will be activated (foam or/and water) for fire fighting and to
limit the vapour cloud dispersion.
Further, an emergency shut down will be activated (ESD). A false alarm leads to
enormous costs. Therefore it is important that gas and fire detection systems work
properly and reliable.

3 Dräger Solutions
Dräger offers an ideal system for these applications.
Polytron IR (Type 334/340), Polytron IR 3000 and Polytron IR 7000 are suitable for
methane detection. Polytron Pulsar, Dräger’s Open Path System, is able to detect
the methane-ambient air vapour cloud before it reaches not secured areas or
ignitions sources.
For minor concentrations in order to detect leakages the catalytic bead sensor IR SE
Ex is recommendable. Dräger Flame 1700, Dräger Flame 2300 and Dräger Flame
5000 are ideally suited for use as flame detection.

The REGARD family as controller supports actions preventing from damage to

personnel and property such as activating extinguishing systems and emergency
shutdown (ESD).

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3.1.1 USPs

Infrared point detectors (Dräger PIR 3000, and PIR 7000, Polytron PIR)
Fast response time, operation under extreme environment conditions, very good
long-term stability and long life time, no false alarms, easy calibration.
Open Path/Pulsar 2
Fast response time (≤ 1 sec.), Span 0-100% LEL (for 4…20mA), operating distance
over 100m, solar immune, redundant infrared source with pre-warning of failure,
variable source intensity and frequency, no optical alignment tools required, one man
commissioning, no further calibration required once commissioned, immune to the
effects of sun, flare radiation and common contaminants, pre-warning for dirty or
misaligned optics.

Dräger Flame 1700 (IR) and 2300 (UVIR)

Easy installation and commissioning, quick response, automatic and manual optic
check, no false alarms

Dräger Flame 5000

No false alarms, offers a true CCTV flame detection solution, on board recording of
alarms, worldwide approvals (ATEX, IECEx, FM and CFM), integrated ‘lens check’
can be used as a stand alone detector, digital signal processing and software
algorithms to process live video image and interpret the characteristics of a flame

4 References
Country Customer Project Contractor Products Year
Egypt Spanish LNG 1 MW Kellogg IR, Pulsar, 2003
Egyptian Gas LNG Offsites & Admin TX, Flame
(SEGAS) IR3
Qatar Qatar Gas LNG Loading Salam IR, H2S 1999
Terminal automation
Qatar QP GTC 129 LNG Tank Samsung IR 2004
Farm
Australia Woodside Pluto LNG Onshore Foster IR, Pulsar, 2009
Wheeler & XP Tox
Worley
Parsons
Australia Woodside Pluto LNG Offshore EOS IR, Pulsar 2008
(Riser Plattform) Singapore
Australia Conoco Phillips Darwin LNG Foster Pulsar 2004
(Onshore) Wheeler

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5 Sources
http://www.energy.ca.gov/lng/documents.html
http://www.erneuerbareenergiequellen.com/erdgas_flussi gerdgas.html
http://www.erdgas.ch/de/versorgung-der-schweiz/herkun ft-des-erdgases/lng.html
http://www.naturalgas.org/lng/lng.asp

NEW ENGLAND UPSTATE NEW YORK

ETA PROCESS INSTRUMENTATION MARTECH CONTROLS
since 1971 since 1997
www.etapii.com www.martechcontrols.com
sales@etapii.com sales@martechcontrols.com
tel: 978.532.1330 tel: 315.876.9120

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