LNG Cargo Operations Program

LNG Operations

Iner ting Prior to Pur ging

The det ails provided in this doc ument are relevant to c argo operations

onboard t ypic al membrane t ype N o.9 6 LNG c ar r ier s of 13 0,0 0 0

~ 14 5,0 0 0 m 3 c apac it y with four c argo t anks and steam tur bine

propulsion system.

Please c lic k on the headings to go to the par tic ular topic. You c an

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page fo oter.

Index
• I n e r t i n g Ca rg o Ta n k s us i n g I n e r t G a s (p r i o r t o
g a s i f i ca t i o n)

• L a you t D ra w i n g

• Pre p a ra t i o n

• Iner ting

• Monitoring

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I n e r t i n g Ca rg o Ta n k s u s i n g I n e r t G a s (p r i o r t o
g a s i f i ca t i o n)

Iner t gas is produc ed onboard in the Iner t Gas Generator which is

nor mally situated in the Iner t Gas Generator room on the af t main deck

area. The temperature of the inc oming Iner t Gas at the tank should be

above +18 O C (with a dew point of - 65 O C) and its ox ygen c ontent should be

less than 2.0% by volume and having ma ximum pressure of 30 0 mbar g.

The expelled atmosphere of each tank is monitored at the vapor dome

and the operation is c ompleted when the ox ygen c ontent obtained is less

than 2.0% (with a dew point of - 40 OC)

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I n e r t i n g Ca rg o Ta n k s u s i n g I n e r t Ga s

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P re p a ra t i o n
1. The Iner t Gas plant is prepared for Iner t Gas production.

2. The following removable bends are fitted and tested for leaks.

i. Iner t gas supply to vapor line.

ii. Vapor line to liquid header.

3. Cargo Tank 1 to 4 Vapor dome outlet valves to vapor header opened.

4. The c ommon mast r iser venting c ontrol valve is set (using the Control
System) at required value (approximately 20 - 3 0 mbar g).

Maintaining a low c argo tank pressure dur ing the iner ting operation is

impor t ant to reduc e the chanc es of mix ture at the inter fac e of the t wo

gases. (Iner t G as and A ir)

5. Iner t Gas supply valve opened.

6. Cargo Tank 1 to 4 loading valves opened.

Iner ting

7. Iner t gas supply star ted automatically.

8. Af ter a preset time delay (normally about 10 minutes), the iner t gas

supply valve (of Iner t gas plant) will open automatically providing the

acceptable oxygen content and dew point limits.

9. The atmosphere of each cargo tank is tested using a por table oxygen

analyzer at the sample point on each vapor dome outlet line.

10. During cargo tanks iner ting, the following sections of pipeline also

iner ted for about five (5) minutes each:-

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i. Liquid header.

ii. A ll sections of str ipping / spray header and tank c onnec tions (via

the valves at eac h vapor dome)

iii. Str ipping / spray crossover to for ward and af t manifold

c onnec tions

iv. The manual manifold valves as well as the ESD valves (to ensure

iner ting of all liquid manifolds nor mally all the manifolds by- pass
valves are opened)

11. Iner ting of cargo tanks is completed when the atmosphere in each tank

has a maximum oxygen content of 2.0% by volume. The remaining

sections of pipelines can now be iner ted.

12. Upon completing the cargo tanks, the following sections of pipeline also

iner ted for about five (5) minutes each:-

i. Fuel gas heater.

ii. M ain heater

iii. M ain vap or izer

iv. HD and LD c ompressor s (via venting through the f langes at

removable bend and via the c ommon mast r iser with c ompressor

inlet and outlet valves open)

v. Vapor crossover and manifolds (via venting through the manifold

f langes)

vi. Cargo pump lines and auxiliar y c argo pump well (via the

appropr iate line valve and purge / sample point) and

vii.E x tremities of vapor header via sample points.

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13. On c ompletion of all c argo tank and pipeline iner ting, the set point of

the c ommon mast r iser c ontrol valve is set to 10 6 0 mbar abs.

14. W hen t he t ank pre s sure has reac hed 10 6 0 mbar abs, t he supply of

iner t gas is stopped and iner t gas main supply valve closed.

15. The Iner t Gas plant shutdown.

16. Removable bends removed

17. Cargo system prepared for gasif ic ation.

Monitoring

Iner ting is monitored to ensure that on c ompletion the parameter s are as

follows:

Po r t a b l e G a s M et e r Pa ra m e t e r Re q u i re d Va l ues
Ox ygen A naly zer Ox ygen c ontent < 2.0% by volume

Hygrometer Dew point - 40 OC

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