Process Design for the Offshore Production of Liquefied Natural Gas with Nonflammable Refrigerants

Abstract

In this paper, a conceptual process design for a novel natural gas liquefaction plant developed especially for offshore application is presented. Onshore liquefied natural gas (LNG) production usually utilizes mixed refrigerant (MR)-based cycles for high efficiency, in terms of operating cost. This paper proposes a cascade process that uses nitrous oxide and nitrogen refrigerants. The liquefaction process can be subdivided into a precooling section in the vapor phase, a condensation section, and a subcooling section in the liquid phase. The vapor compression refrigeration cycle of nitrous oxide is applied to the precooling and the condensation sections, whereas the gas compression refrigeration cycle of nitrogen is applied to the subcooling section of LNG. The proposed process shows enhanced efficiency, compared to the conventional turbine-based processes with the specific power comparable to the MR processes.

Process Integration of an Autothermal Reforming Hydrogen Production System with Cryogenic Air Separation and Carbon Dioxide Capture Using Liquefied Natural Gas Cold Energy

“…With the high demand for natural gas (NG), the global trade volume of liquefied natural gas (LNG) increased by 28.2 MT in 2018, setting a record of 316.5 MT . LNG is obtained via a liquefaction process, yielding a liquid with a temperature of −163 °C at atmospheric pressure. − Since one cubic meter of LNG occupies 625 cubic meters in gaseous form, LNG is a major transportation method for shipping long distances. , Once it arrives at the shipping destination terminal, the LNG is regasified and distributed to the gas pipe grid for industrial applications. Among the various options for hydrogen production, the conversion of NG to syngas via steam methane reforming (SMR) is the primary process .…”

“…2−5 Since one cubic meter of LNG occupies 625 cubic meters in gaseous form, LNG is a major transportation method for shipping long distances. 6,7 Once it arrives at the shipping destination terminal, the LNG is regasified and distributed to the gas pipe grid for industrial applications. Among the various options for hydrogen production, the conversion of NG to syngas via steam methane reforming (SMR) is the primary process.…”

Case Study: Economic and Technical Analysis of Retrograde Gas Processing on Offshore Platforms

“…Such interest led to a worldwide geographic expansion of gas reserves with new developments. In this scenario, there is a growing interest to monetize midscale (14-140 billion cubic meters) and small-scale gas reserves (Lee et al, 2015). However, most of the world's gas reserves are in offshore fields (Lee et al, 2012) at ultra-deep waters.…”