LNG Basics for Petroleum Engineers

When:  Jan 18, 2016 from 11:30 AM to 01:00 PM (MT)
Associated with  Grande Prairie Section

While many remote parts of the world and North America are awash with natural gas, Europe, South America and the vibrant economies of the East cannot get enough of the clean-burning, environmentally friendly fuel.  The problem is transporting this compressible fluid long distances, across major bodies of water.  For markets greater than 1,500 miles, liquefied natural gas (LNG) has proved to be the most economic option.  By refrigerating natural gas (primarily methane) to -260ºF (-162ºC), thereby shrinking its volume by 600:1, LNG can be transported in large insulated cryogenic tankers at cost.

Natural gas liquefaction is a series of refrigeration systems similar to the air conditioning system in our homes, simply consisting of a compressor, and evaporator to chill and condense the gas.  The difference is in the scale and magnitude of the refrigeration.  In contrast to the home system, a typical single-train LNG plant costs billions of dollars and consume 6-8% of the inlet gas as fuel.  Since many of the impurities (water vapor, carbon dioxide, hydrogen sulfide, etc.) and heavier hydrocarbon compounds in natural gas would freeze at LNG temperatures, they must first be removed, and disposed or marketed as separate products. 

This paper will provide an overview of LNG liquefaction facilities, from inlet gas receiving to LNG storage and loading.  However, the focus is on the liquefaction process and equipment.  Differences among the commercially available liquefaction processes (cascade, single mixed refrigerant, propane-pre-cooled mixed refrigerant, double mixed refrigerant, nitrogen, etc.) will be discussed.  The aim is to provide SPE members with a clear understanding of the technologies, equipment and process choices required for a successful LNG project.

Speaker: Michael Choi, ConocoPhillips

Michael Choi is a recent retiree.  Prior to March 2015, he was a Process Engineering Fellow in ConocoPhillips’ Global Production Department located in Houston, Texas.  His specialties are production facilities, sour gas and LNG.  He was the lead process design engineer for CoP’s Qatargas3 LNG project.  Prior to joining Conoco in 1985, Michael worked in various engineering capacities with El Paso Natural Gas, Aminoil and Getty Oil/Texaco.  His work has led to a number of SPE publications and six US patents for separator design, emissions control system for glycol dehydrators and subsea processing and storage systems.  Michael has been active in SPE as of the PF&C Committee, program chairman and of the ATCE and other international conferences and forums.  He graduated from the University of Southern California in 1974 with a BS degree in chemical engineering.

Michael was an SPE Distinguished Lecturer during the 2012-13 lecture season.

 

Please see map for location of J wing and Parking lots C and F.


Student rate to attend the event will be $10.00, members $20.00, and $30.00

Location

Grande Prairie Regional College
J wing of the GPRC, Paid parking avaliable in lots C and F
Room J107
Grande Prairie Canada
Registration Price
Member $20.00
Non-member/Guest $30.00
Student $10.00

Contact

Blair Fisher

bfisher@sanjel.com