(31c) Floating Storage and Regasification Concepts Using the LNG Smart Air Vaporization Technology | AIChE

(31c) Floating Storage and Regasification Concepts Using the LNG Smart Air Vaporization Technology

Authors 

Baudat, N. - Presenter, Mustang Engineering
Worthington, S. - Presenter, Mustang Engineering
Sharp, R. - Presenter, Mustang Engineering
Hubbard, B. S. - Presenter, Mustang Engineering


The United States Energy Information Administration (EIA) projects total world marketed energy consumption to expand by 71% over the period 2003 to 2030. Natural gas will increase to comprise 26% of that total. As such, global natural gas demand is escalating at a frenetic pace. Long-term global natural gas prices will remain relatively high, providing an attractive market for developing stranded gas resources. As an alternative to building expensive onshore LNG import terminals with potential environmental and security issues, there is increased interest in the development of floating offshore LNG regas capabilities. Mustang and its partners have developed four offshore floating LNG regas concepts using Mustang's LNG Smart® Air Vaporization (SAV) technology for the economic and environmentally compatible regasification of LNG at a safe distance and beyond visibility from shore, in waters as deep as 300 meters. The technology is an alternative to the submerged combustion vaporizer (SCV) or other gas fired systems and to open loop sea water vaporizer (ORV) techniques currently used. The SAV regas process transfers heat from the air to the LNG which reduces gas usage and air emissions dramatically, uses no sea water and creates no water pollution. The four Mustang concepts include: 1) Disconnectable Floating Regas Storage Unit (DFSRU) - Designed to receive LNG from either a liquefaction plant or a conventional LNG carrier by "lightering", transferring the cryogenic liquid safely from ship to ship away from the gas discharge buoy. 2) Column Stabilized Floating Platform (CSFP) - Conceived by FMC Technologies with Mustang's SAV technology on board, this facility provides the advantages of minimal LNG storage coupled with the capability to berth conventional LNG carriers with 200,000 m3 capacity and mid-ship manifolds. 3) Concrete Floating Regas Storage Unit (FSRU) - This concept is a floating concrete barge, capable of 230,000 m3 of LNG storage in designed-for-purpose steel horizontal bullet tanks. LNG is delivered to the FSRU by LNG carriers that moor alongside and offload through enhanced mechanical loading arms. 4) Steel Hull Floating Storage Regas Unit (FSRU) - This barge, similar in function to the concrete FSRU, has an internal mooring table and gas turret for delivery of vaporized gas through flexible risers to a submarine pipeline.