2186671:

ADV. NATURAL GAS ENGINEERING

LNG Part 1: Liquefaction

Assoc. Prof. Dr. Kreangkrai Maneeintr

Department of Mining and Petroleum

Faculty of Engineering, Chulalongkorn University
 OVERVIEW

 Introduction
 LNG Chain
 Liquefaction

VDO Clip 13.1-13.3 An Introduction to Liquefied Natural Gas

 INTRODUCTION

WHAT IS LNG?
• A liquid derived from cooled natural gas at the temperature
of -160°C/-163°C (-260°F) at atmospheric pressure.
Colourless and odourless.
• One volume of this liquid takes up about 1/600th the
volume of natural gas at a stove burner tip. LNG weighs
less than one-half that of water, actually about 45% as
much.
• LNG is non-corrosive, and non-toxic. When vaporized it
burns only in concentrations of 5% to 15% when mixed
with air.
• Neither LNG, nor its vapor, can explode in an unconfined
environment.
 INTRODUCTION

WHAT IS LNG?
• Natural gas is composed primarily of methane (typically,
at least 90%), but may also contain ethane, propane and
heavier hydrocarbons.

How to keep LNG cold ? The insulation, as efficient as it

is, will not keep the temperature of LNG. LNG will stay at
near constant temperature if kept at constant pressure.
This phenomenon is called "autorefrigeration".
 INTRODUCTION

LNG Plant Entry Gas Specifications

 Gas processed in the LNG
Plant must follow very strict
specifications before entering
the liquefaction unit.
 Low temperatures would
generate plugging of the plant
 Carbon dioxide « freezes » at
-78 °C
 Mercury must be removed to
prevent corrosion of aluminum
made equipment
 LNG CHAIN

LNG Chain

Ref: Ducros and Pech (2014)

 LNG CHAIN

LNG Chain
 A “chain” is not only a technical approach but an
economic strategic approach as well.
 A gas field will never be developed without a defined
market. A grass root LNG plant will never be built without
serious guarantees and long term commitment.
 The commitment is not only “buying LNG” but giving the
possibility to transport it and regasify it.
 On the other hand, it is possible to build a terminal
and/or tanker without LNG commitment but….the
financing will be a real challenge and owners will be at
risk.
 LNG tankers are most of the time dedicated to a specific
route.
 LNG CHAIN

LNG Chain Ref: Ducros and Pech (2014)

 LNG CHAIN

LNG Chain: The Liquefaction

 LNG production is organized by
“train”, it means production
Unit.
 Train capacity is today between
3 and 8 Mt/year.
 The Plant includes the receiving
facilities, the gas treatment, the
liquefaction, the storage, the
unloading facilities and the
utilities - general services.
 Very often project finance is Yemen LNG: 6.7 Mt/year ( 2 trains)
implemented.
 An operating Company is
generally in charge of the Plant.
Ref: Ducros and Pech (2014)
 LNG CHAIN

LNG Chain: Overall LNG Processes

Ref: Ducros and Pech (2014)

 LNG CHAIN

LNG Chain

LNG Carriers LNG Terminal

 LIQUEFACTION

Liquefaction Processes
 The liquefaction plants are based on refrigeration
cycles with alternatively condensing and evaporating
working fluids.
 The cooling and condensation of the natural gas takes
place in heat exchangers between the gas itself and
the refrigerant.
 We can say also that the liquefaction process is
similar to the home refrigerator.
 But what kind of refrigerant fluid can be used for the
natural gas liquefaction process?
VDO Clip 13.4-13.5 LNG Liquefaction
 LIQUEFACTION

Liquefaction Processes
 Natural gas liquefaction is
achieved along complex
processes.
 They all are based on the same
succession of four basic Steps:
vaporization, compression,
condensation and expansion.
 The very low temperature
required for the LNG necessitate
the use of several selected
refrigerants or mixed
refrigerants.
 LIQUEFACTION

Liquefaction Processes: Heat Exchange

Efficiency
 LIQUEFACTION

Liquefaction Processes: Heat Exchange

Efficiency
 LIQUEFACTION

Liquefaction Processes
There are 2 main types of liquefaction processes
1. Cascade System
2. Mixed Refrigerant System
 LIQUEFACTION

Cascade Cycle
• The process involves 3 cycles in cascade, using a pure
refrigerant in each of the cycles.
• First cycle uses C3 and helps to reach -35°C.
• NG is liquefied under pressure at -100°C in a cycle
operating with ethylene and is subcooled to -155°C using
the C1 cycle.
• C3 compressed to 13 bars in the first cycle is condensed
by cooling water.
• Vaporization of the C3 at -35°C cools the natural gas and
condenses ethylene
• C2H4 vaporization at -100°C liquefy natural gas and
condense C1 compressed to 39 bars. Then a last flash of
the liquid phase helps to reach vapor-liquid equilibrium.
 LIQUEFACTION

Cascade Cycle
 LIQUEFACTION

Mixed Refrigerant Process

The refrigeration stream flow is complicated; the low
temperature mixed refrigerants, which is a mixture of
nitrogen, methane, ethane and propane, is compressed in
two cases of a compressor, cooled by water cooling, and
then partially condensed in the precooling cycle by the
precooling refrigerant. The liquid portion of this mixed
refrigerant is condensed in the warm section of the
cryogenic heat exchanger, expanded through an expansion
valve, and then vaporized into the warm section of the heat
exchanger where it performs its cooling function.
 LIQUEFACTION

Mixed Refrigerant Process

The vapor stream from the separator is also passed through
this warm section of the exchanger where it is partially cooled
and condensed. It is then further cooled and condensed in the
cold section of the cryogenic heat exchanger, then itself is
expanded through a Joule/Thompson valve and fed into the
top of the cold section of the exchanger. The vaporized mixed
refrigerant leaves the bottom of the cryogenic heat exchanger
and is cross-exchanged with the incoming natural gas before
being fed back to the compressor suction.
 LIQUEFACTION

Mixed Refrigerant Process

 LIQUEFACTION

Mixed Refrigerant Process

 LIQUEFACTION

Cooling Curves
This figure shows a comparison
of the 9 level cascade and MR
process.

The objective is to recover as

much as possible of the heat
removed by heat exchanger
and also minimize the power
required for the process, thus
the closer approach is the
better.
 LIQUEFACTION

Heat Exchanger
Basic types of heat exchangers used
1. Air fin coolers
2. Conventional shell and tube
3. Brazed plate-fin type
4. Wound type exchangers

VDO Clip 13.6-13.8 LNG Heat Exchangers

 LIQUEFACTION

Heat Exchanger – Wound Type

 LIQUEFACTION

Heat Exchanger – Wound Type

Ref: www.linde.com
 LIQUEFACTION

Heat Exchanger – Brazed plate-fin type

 LIQUEFACTION

Heat Exchanger – Brazed plate-fin type

Ref: www.linde.com
 LIQUEFACTION

Comparison of LNG Processes

 LIQUEFACTION

Comparison of LNG Processes

 LIQUEFACTION

Comparison of LNG Processes

 LIQUEFACTION

Liquefaction Plant: Qatar Gas

Ref: Ducros and Pech (2014)

 LIQUEFACTION

Liquefaction Plant: Snohvit, Norway

August 2005

June 2003

Ref: Ducros and Pech (2014)

 LIQUEFACTION

Liquefaction Plant: Balhaf, Yemen

Start 2009

Ref: Ducros and Pech (2014)

 LIQUEFACTION

Liquefaction Processes
 Five main liquefaction processes are available today
on the market:
1. APCI - the most widely used process over the world
2. Conoco-Phillips modified cascade (Kenai, Trinidad-
Tobago, Idku, Darwin, Equatorial Guinea, Angola,
several plants under construction in Australia)
3. Statoil-Linde ( Snovhit)
4. Shell (Sakhalin)
5. Liquefin- Axens
 LIQUEFACTION

Liquefaction Processes
 Processes are mainly differentiated by the number of
refrigeration cycles (or loops), and the type of
refrigerant.
- Dual loop processes: APCI, Axens, Shell
- Three loop processes: Phillips optimized cascade,
Statoil-Linde, new APCI (for large plants)
Other main differences between various processes are
the type of cooling-exchangers, the type of gas
turbines, the extension of use of electric drivers, the
adjustment of the power balance between the various
cycles.
 LIQUEFACTION

Summary: Main Processes

Ref: Ducros and Pech (2014)

 LIQUEFACTION

Summary: Cold Climate

Ref: Ducros and Pech (2014)

 LIQUEFACTION

Summary: Large Trains

Ref: Ducros and Pech (2014)

 LIQUEFACTION

Summary: FLNG

Ref: Ducros and Pech (2014)

 DISCUSSION MOMENT

1. LNG Chain
2. Liquefaction Processes
3. Other topics including the previous ones
 REFERENCES

List of references and other sources

1. Ducros, M., Pech, C., Gas and LNG Training Material,
TPA, France, 2014
2. Younger, A. H., Natural Gas Processing Principles and
Technology Part 2, University of Calgary, Canada, 2004
3. Auntie Wi(kipedia)
4. Youtube
5. Onepetro