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Boost reliability of your natural gas liquefaction processes
Minimize unforeseen shutdown and downtime of gas processing and liquefaction process trains
Liquefied natural gas (LNG) is natural gas that has been cooled to −162 °C (−260 °F). Converting natural gas to a liquid in a liquefaction plant typically involves four main processes: pretreatment, acid gas removal and dehydration, fractionation to remove heavy hydrocarbons, and liquefaction. Each of these LNG processing operations requires precise, reliable process control to ensure the continuous uninterrupted operation needed for on-time loading and shipment of liquefied natural gas.
Key facts
>USD 200K
Potential cost of a 2-day shutdown of the molecular sieve in a natural gas plant. For an LNG plant, depending on the capacity, this could climb to over $1 million.
Insights
Precision flow measurement for entrained gas applications
Cryogenic flow applications in an LNG liquefaction plant bring measurement challenges due to two-phase flow conditions. Variations in temperature and pressure drop result in vaporization and entrained gas that cause under- or over-read, or stops the measurement altogether.
Our expertise in the field
Our innovative Coriolis mass flowmeters offer a unique solution for entrained gas applications. Patented multi-frequency technology ensures reliable and continuous measurement, real time data and high availability.
- High precision measurement of density, mass and volume flow even in the presence of entrained gas
- LNG Custody transfer approvals OIML R117 and MI-005
- No maintenance and compact design enabling installation flexibility
- Heartbeat technology enables inline verification without process interruption
Insights
Improved low flow measurement with Vortex flowmeters
Vortex flowmeters have become the workhorse in LNG plants for both liquid and gas applications but most vortex flowmeters lose signal at low flows and measure inaccurately below a Reynolds number of 20,000.
Our expertise in the field
We help to overcome these challenges and more. Endress+Hauser’s Vortex flow meter is an excellent choice because of its low flow performance, robustness against temperature shock and vibration, and multivariable (pressure & temperature) options. For gases, liquids and steam.
- Improved signal processing leads to optimum turndown: starts measuring 16% lower in Reynolds than any other vortex flowmeter in the market and versions with integrated two-line size reduction measure 76% lower
- Most linear vortex body with flat accuracy down to Reynolds no 10,000
- PremiumCal guarantees excellent measuring accuracy +/- 0.65% (liquids) / +/- 0.9% (gas) enabling highest availability of your LNG plant at low flow rates
Insights
Temperature measurement in gas processing
Precise temperature measurement plays a vital role in gas processing facilities. Temperature differences more than the stipulated limits between the natural gas and amine / glycol entering the contactor in gas sweetening and dehydration units results in gas condensation, foaming and losses. Also, reliable monitoring of temperature across the heat exchanger walls is required to detect fouling.
Our expertise in the field
Our robust temperature transmitters minimize plant downtime with innovative and leading technology.
- Sensor backup in case of failure without interruption to measured value
- Sensor drift and corrosion detection
- Wide range of thermowell offering as per global standards
- Surface temperature measurement of pipe and tube walls
- Innovative StrongSens for shock and vibration resistance > 60g
Insights
On-line monitoring of H2S and CO2 in gas sweetening
Gas sweetening processes remove acid gases (H2S and CO2) from sour gas to meet specifications for cryogenic liquefaction. Measuring H2S and CO2 concentrations in sour gas at the inlet and sweet gas at the outlet of amine treatments units is important for control and optimization of the treatment process to ensure the quality of LNG feed gas and prevent potential damage to plant equipment during liquefaction.
Our expertise in the field
Tunable Diode Laser Absorption Spectroscopy (TDLAS) analyzers are proven to be highly effective in these critical measurements.
- Exceptionally fast response to H2S and CO2 concentration changes, an important performance characteristic for control of amine treatment units
- Patented Differential Spectroscopy technique measures H2S at low ppm levels
- Low maintenance and OPEX costs, as no cylinders of carrier and combustion gases, or lead acetate tape are required to perform measurements
- Non-contact laser measurement avoids fouling and corrosion for reliable long-term operation of your LNG plant
Insights
Device diagnostics, verification, and monitoring
The Oil & Gas industry operates in tough environments. You're looking for better visibility into the condition of your process equipment to avoid costly unscheduled maintenance and downtime, reduce maintenance costs, and increase system availability.
Our expertise in the field
A range of our intelligent field devices feature Heartbeat Technology that increases plant availability and ensures high process safety with its unique integrated diagnostics, verification and monitoring capabilities.
- Permanent instrument self-diagnosis provides an ongoing health check of your devices and processes, and in the event of an issue you get clear guidance on what to do
- Verify anytime, anywhere, without process interruption, that your devices are functioning properly
- Heartbeat’s monitoring function provides detailed instrument and process data permitting trend analysis, making predictive maintenance possible
- Netilion, our IIoT ecosystem and portfolio of intelligent apps, builds upon Heartbeat data to give you even greater insight and benefits
Benefits
Our instruments provide the measurement accuracy and enhanced process control you need to ensure continuous uninterrupted operation of your natural gas liquefaction processes. Field instrumentation with state-of-the-art technologies reduces startup time, avoids unforeseen shutdowns and ensures the highest plant availability. Intelligent field devices with advanced diagnostic, verification and monitoring functionalities offer the information you need to make the right maintenance decisions.
Key facts
>30 million
field instruments installed worldwide
Key facts
>800,000
Coriolis flowmeters successfully installed across a wide range of industries
Key facts
>40 countries
have Endress+Hauser Sales and Service Centers. Our global service force of over 1000 experts are available worldwide to service and optimize your natural gas liquefaction processes
Takeaway
How we can help
We partner with you to select the right field instrumentation for critical measurements and reliable process control of your LNG processing operations from gas pretreatment to liquefaction. This includes highly accurate flow measurement for entrained gas and low flow applications, monitoring to ensure the removal of contaminants to trace levels from gas processed for liquefied natural gas; reliable temperature sensors, and smart field devices that ensure high system availability.
- Coriolis technology offering multivariable measurement with optimized performance for liquids with entrained gas – MFT (Multi-Frequency Technology)
- Multivariable vortex flow meter with excellent measuring accuracy at low flow rates
- Ensure gas meets specifications for LNG cryogenic liquefaction: Tunable Diode Laser Absorption Spectroscopy (TDLAS) analyzers provide fast, accurate on-line measurement of water (H2O) and carbon dioxide (CO2) in amine treatment units
- Highest plant availability and safety with reliable temperature sensor technology
- Heartbeat Technology: diagnostics, verification and monitoring functions ensure high system availability and safety with minimal effort
Endnotes
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