As part of energy cooperation between Japan and Russia, the expansion of the Sakhalin 2 project (Sakhalin-2) was discussed. However, the South Kirinskoye gas field is currently subject to US sanctions due to its oil reserves. Therefore, Gazprom may have difficulty finding potential investors in the West to implement the project.
Novatek has proposed a plan to expand capacity and implement the Arctic LNG-2 project, which could produce an additional 19.8 million tons of LNG per year. The launch of the first line of the Arctic LNG-2 project is planned for 2023 with full power in 2026
Trans-shipment terminal for 8 million tones of LNG per year - Zeebrugge, Belgium terminal for the supply of 8 million tons of LNG per year; Suez Canal - Suez Canal; Arctic LNG2: Russia’s LNG producer Novatek plans to build second Arctic LNG plant on Gydan Peninsula - Arctic LNG-2 project: Russian manufacturer Novatek plans to build a second Arctic LNG plant on the Gydan Peninsula; Sakhalin-2: Russia’s sole LNG plant. Capacity: 10 m tones of LNG per year - Sakhalin-2: the only one Russian plant for LNG production. Capacity: 10 million tons of LNG per year; Arctic circle - polar circle; North Pole - North Pole; Atlantic Ocean - Atlantic Ocean; U.S. - USA; CANADA - Canada; RUSSIA - Russia; Icebreking LNG carriers - ice-class LNG carriers; Conventional LNG carriers - traditional LNG carriers; China: Yamal expected to provide more than 80% of China LNG demand - China: Yamal is expected to provide more than 80% of China's LNG demand; Yamal LNG: Owned by Novatek (50.1%), China's CNCP and France Total (20% each), and China's Silk Road Fund (9.9%) - Yamal LNG: owned by Novatek (50.1 %), the Chinese company CNCP and the French company Total (20% each), and the Chinese Silk Road Fund (9.9%).
Currently, the French company Total SA, the Chinese company CNPC, the Japanese corporation Marubeni Corporation and a company from Saudi Arabia Saudi Aramco. However, according to experts from the Institute of Energy Economics on the situation in the LNG market, by mid-2020, supply and demand will reach a balance of approximately 400 million tons. Between 2020 and 2025, Oceania and North America plan to begin operation of its LNG terminals. By 2030, there will no longer be a shortage of LNG supplies, since the facilities planned for construction in accordance with the global LNG supply plan will produce 370 million tons. In this situation, it will be difficult to find buyers and attract additional investment.
Year-round - all year round; Summer - in the summer; Baltic LNG 10 mtpa Gazprom - Baltic LNG 10 million tons per year Gazprom; Pechora LNG 10 mtpa Rosneft/Alltek - Pechora LNG 10 million tons per year Rosneft/Alltek; Yamal LNG 16.5 mtpa Novatec Total CNCP - Yamal LNG 16.5 million tons per year Novatec, Total, CNCP; 30 bcma Altai - 30 billion tons per year Altai; 38 bcma Power of Siberia - 38 billion tons per year “Power of Siberia”; Far Eastern LNG 5-10 mtpa Rosneft/ExxonMobil - Far East LNG 5-10 million tons per year Rosneft/ExxonMobil; Sakhalin-2 10-15 mtpa SEIC - "Sakhalin-2" 10-15 million tons per year SEIC Center; Vladivostok LNG 10-15 mtpa Gazprom - Vladivostok LNG 10-15 million tons per year Gazprom.
Assessment of the prospects of the Yamal-LNG complex
The Yamal LNG complex, co-owned by Russian company Novatek, the French Total SA, the Chinese company CNPC and the Silk Road Fund are often called “the window to the Asia-Pacific region. It is assumed that LNG from this complex will be supplied to the Asia-Pacific and European markets all year round. In reality, the frequency of LNG supplies from this complex will apparently be affected by restrictions on Arctic weather conditions. From December to April, the Northern Sea Route, connecting the Yamal Peninsula and the Asia-Pacific Basin, is closed to shipping. In this case, supplies can only go to Western European markets. In winter, LNG supplies to Asian countries are less profitable and time-consuming. For example, sailing with an LNG cargo to Japan will take 72 days. This is approximately 4 times longer than the LNG delivery time from Australia (16 days). Only from May to November, when energy demand usually drops somewhat, will ships be able to deliver LNG to both European and Asia-Pacific markets.
The Sakhalin-2 complex, the first LNG production project in Russia, which is capable of exporting LNG year-round to the Asia-Pacific region. In 2016, the complex satisfied 6% of LNG demand in Asia. In particular, LNG supplies to Japan and South Korea covered 8.6% and 8% of national demand, respectively.
All year round to Europe and Latin America - year-round supplies to Europe and Latin America; During summer to Asia - during summer period to Asia; During winter to Asia - during winter period; Average number of days for round trip - average number of days spent on a round trip; Yamal LNG - "Yamal LNG".
High level of dependence on China
By 2035 Russian government expects to increase its share in Asia-Pacific natural gas trade to 33%. This mainly refers to gas supplies to China. China's participation in Russian gas projects is already quite significant. Chinese investors have already provided $12 billion of the total $27 billion needed to operate the Yamal LNG complex. When the complex reaches full capacity in 2019, it is planned to supply 4 million tons of LNG to China annually. Earlier in May 2014, Russia entered into a deal with China for a 30-year period. According to experts from the Global Risk Insights portal, if everything develops according to plan, then by 2030 the capacity of Siberian and Altai gas pipelines will total 68 billion cubic meters. m of gas annually (billion cubic meters per annum-bcma), compared to 80 billion cubic meters. m, supplied to Europe.
LNG gas carriers and problems of their construction
A modern LNG carrier is a complex technical object. Mastering the technology for building vessels of this class requires time and appropriate training. Building such ice-class LNG carriers designed to operate in Arctic conditions is an even more difficult task.
Fig.4. Appearance ice-class gas carrier "Vladimir Rusanov" for LNG supplies from the Yamal LNG complex.
Principles and technology of construction of LNG gas carriers
The most important component of the gas containing system when constructing an LNG carrier is the liquefied gas storage tanks. Currently, there are several types of such tanks. These are MOSS type spherical tanks and membrane tanks. The latter are the most modern and promising. Tank designs are developed by only 2-3 companies leading in this field, patented, and LNG tanks around the world are built under licenses from these companies.
Currently, ice-class LNG carriers under construction for the Yamal LNG complex use GTT NO 96GW membrane tanks.
Base material: 64FeNi alloy (Invar 36).
Filler material: NiMo28Fe4Cr (~ S Ni1069 acc. to DIN EN ISO 18274).
Peculiarities:
Welding process: plasma arc welding (Plasma Arc Welding - PAW) and tungsten arc welding (Gas Tungsten Arc Welding - GTAW).
Complex welding process (requires highly qualified personnel).
Constant monitoring of heat levels and heat generation during welding is necessary.
It is difficult to monitor possible leaks.
Primary invar membrane - primary membrane made of Invar alloy; Secondary invar membrane - secondary membrane made of Invar alloy; Inner tube - inner tube; Inner hull - the inner hull of a ship; Resin ropes - gaskets made of epoxy mastic; Insulation box - insulation box; Coupler base - screed.
The NO 96 GW LNG tank design is an improvement on the NO 96 design. In this design, fiberglass replaces perlite as the insulation material for the primary and secondary insulation boxes. The design reduces the evaporation rate of LNG to 0.125% - 0.13% per day.
However, GTT has already developed the next generation design NO 96 LO3. This design uses three layers of insulation, with the first two layers being insulated with fiberglass and the third layer of insulation box using reinforced polyurethane foam (RPUF).
Technologies required for manufacturing LNG tanks
For the production of LNG tanks special meaning has welding equipment and high quality welding technology. Welding is carried out automatically in an inert gas environment to obtain high-quality welds that eliminate the possibility of leaks.
Fully-Automatic single wire MIG welding.
Rice. 8. High-quality weld obtained by automated welding with a consumable electrode in an inert gas environment.
Filler wire: AA 5183 (AlMg 4.5Mn) 1.6 mm
Base material: AA 5356 (AlMg5)
Seam dimensions: 500 x 250 x 15 mm
(preheating is not permitted)
Inert gas: 100% Ar.
Welding speed: 22.5 cm/min
Welding position: vertical arrangement seam
One layer weld > vibrating arc
Welding with two successive heads
Rice. 9. Welding equipment for welding with two successive welding heads (Tandem Welding System).
Who will build LNG carriers for Russia?
South Korean shipbuilding company Daewoo Shipbuilding and Marine Engineering has delivered two ice-class LNG carriers designed to deliver LNG from production complex Yamal LNG in November 2017. The new LNG carriers Boris Vilkitsky and Fedor Litke were ordered as part of a series of 15 LNG carriers for this Russian project. The vessels, almost 300 m long and 50 m wide, have a deadweight of 85 thousand tons.
Gas carriers can operate all year round at temperatures down to -50 °C, and have an Arc 7 ice class, which allows them to navigate in ice up to 2.1 m thick when moving stern first without the help of icebreakers.
Vessels with a cargo capacity of 172.6 thousand cubic meters. m are equipped with three azimuth rudder propellers with a total power of 45 MW.
Zvezda shipbuilding complex and LNG carriers
From the above data it is clear that technological processes The manufacture of LNG tanks is a high-tech production and requires special experience and high quality works In addition, specialized equipment is needed to manufacture tanks. The same, however, applies to a lesser extent to the manufacture of the hull, systems and equipment of LNG gas carriers.
Which is intended for transportation of liquefied natural gas and, undoubtedly, is considered the best in technical equipment gas carrier, type Liquefied Natural Gas Carrier (LNGC) « British Emerald» . It became the flagship of a series of four ships of the same type in the British tanker fleet: "British Ruby", "British Sapphire" and "British Diamond".
Gas carriers owned by a British company BP Shipping Limited", which plays a leading role in the global natural gas market, offering innovative methods in delivering such a valuable resource to customers.
All built in 2008 at the shipyard " Hyundai Heavy Industries"in South Korea. When developing the vessel design, engineers were guided by the principles of efficiency and safety.
The first principle was realized thanks to the new concept DFDE (dual-fuel diesel-electric), which means two fuels in one diesel-electric installation. DFDE technology allows engines to use transported gas vapor as fuel, and in addition diesel fuel as standard. This technology is not new, but it has not been used on such devices before. This innovation gives gas carrier uniqueness. The new electromechanical system is more expensive to install, but within a year it pays for itself due to its high efficiency gas carrier.
This principle makes it possible to significantly reduce the cost of diesel fuel, which is used on ships of this class, as well as reduce the emission of harmful substances into the atmosphere. Safety gas carrier was primarily achieved through the double hull.
largest gas carrier in the world
gas carrier British Emerald
gas carrier "British Diamond"
LNG carrier "British Sapphire"
gas carrier "British Ruby"
gas carrier tank
LNG carrier "British Emerald" in the terminal
Secondly, on gas carrier a system is provided that cools the gas in containers to a temperature of - 160 degrees Celsius, thereby transforming it into a liquid state, therefore reducing the volume in a ratio of 600:1 and volatility, which makes it possible to transport gas more profitably and safely. This system made it possible to free up space, which was used in the process to increase the usable volume. In addition, the hull showed high hydrodynamic characteristics, which significantly reduced water resistance.
Four gas supertankers can easily enter 44 ports and more than 50 terminals around the world. They replace eight previous "peers".
Technical data of the gas carrier "British Emerald":
Length - 288 m;
Width - 44 m;
Draft - 11 m;
Deadweight - 102064 tons;
Ship's power point
- four diesel-electric engines " Wartsila»;
Speed - 20 knots;
Cruising range - 26,000 miles;
Crew - 29 people;
Greek shipping companies aim for gas market
After the accident at nuclear power plant Fukushima (Japan) in March 2011 and the adoption of a work transfer program nuclear power plants liquefied gas, global demand for liquefied natural gas (LNG) has begun to grow faster than demand for any other fuel. As a result, on this wave, the demand for ships transporting liquefied gas has increased.
Mikhail Morekhodov, full member of the Petrovsky Academy of Sciences and Arts
A new kind of fleet
Today, the world's existing fleet of gas carriers consists of 365 tankers (LNG and LPG), which are capable of delivering liquefied gas to consumers. Their capacity is used at 98%. These are very high loads, and they cause concern among both charterers and shipowners about the technical condition of each vessel, carrying out preventive inspections and scheduled repairs in established deadlines. Increased demand for gas market for tankers and the shortage of their tonnage on the world market caused an increase in charter rates for chartering vessels of this type and an increase in orders for their construction.
Observations of the freight market allow us to notice the following trends in the growth of freight rates:
2010 - daily freight rate was $37,000.
2011 - daily freight rate was $150,000.
2012 - daily freight rate increased to $160,000.
2013 - daily freight rate decreased to $160,000-120,000.
2014 - according to analysts’ forecasts, growth is expected to reach $200,000.
At the same time, it is very important to emphasize that the gas market is stable, the upward trend in freight rates continues, and there is a shortage of tanker tonnage (LNG and LPG) in the cargo transportation market.
Korean briefcase
However, it is necessary to consider the second side of the issue - the construction of ships of this type and the role of shipyards and shipping companies in filling the market with gas tankers of various tonnage. It should also be noted that not all shipyards can build them. Today, the world center for the construction of this fleet is in South Korea (more than 50% of world orders), as well as in Japan and China. It is important to note that the upward trend in orders and commissioning of these vessels continues. Thus, by 2017, the gas market will have to be replenished with more than 100 gas carriers. This should meet the growing demand for gas supplies to Japan and China. However, this will not solve the problem in the gas market due to the growing demand for these products. Therefore, starting from 2017 and over the next five years, 175 new gas tankers should be built, which will be able to stabilize the gas market by 2020.
The shipbuilders of South Korea turned out to be better prepared than others for such work. The experience gained in the construction of a series of ships for the transportation of liquefied gas for the shipping company KATARGAS, as well as the developed shipbuilding infrastructure, introduced technologies and technical solutions, including our own capabilities for supplying equipment for ships, and experienced and competent human resources, had an impact.
Today, along with the leading shipyards of South Korea, Hyundai Heavy Ind. (HHI), Samsung Heavy Ind. (SHI), Daewoo Shipbuilding & Marine Engineer (05DSME) the construction of ships of this type is carried out by the shipyards STX Offshore & Shipbuilding Co., Hyundai Mipo Dockyard (HMD), Hyundai Samho Heavi Ind. (HSHI), Hyundai-Gunsan, Hanjin.
In 2010, shipyards in South Korea received an order for the construction of 40 gas tankers, which amounted to 70% of the total global order portfolio. Today, Korean shipbuilders have 70 ships of this type in their order portfolio.
The changing situation in the global energy sector and the increased use of gas as a unique energy carrier are increasing the demand for this product.
According to analysts' forecasts, global energy demand could grow by at least 35% by 2020. Gas supplies will grow not only in the Chinese-Japanese direction, but also in relation to countries such as Vietnam, Brazil, and India. The increasing level of consumption will remain until 2050. Southeast Asia will increase demand for LNG to 40 million tons per year by 2015, which will account for 13% of total Asia-Pacific demand. The growth will occur due to high rates of economic growth in the countries of the region.
Russia plans to double its share in the global LNG market by 2020 through the commissioning of new natural gas processing capacities and the development and development of new fields.
Greek accent
Greek shipowners are confident that a boom in LNG transportation is just around the corner and they need to prepare for it now in order to be competitive in the maritime gas transportation market. Today Greece owns 17% of the total world merchant fleet. There are 750 shipping companies registered in the country with a total capital of $170 billion. Greek companies own about 4,150 ships (vessels of more than 1,000 DWT tons are registered on the list). Total DWT - 202 million tons. At the end of 2012, Greek companies ordered 82 tankers for transporting liquefied natural gas, the total order amount was $7.4 billion.
The Greek program for the construction of new types of vessels in the future may affect the work of other shipping companies in the gas transportation market. Greek shipowners are investing heavily in the construction of gas tankers.
Their role in international maritime transport of energy resources, investments in this direction look very significant. Only the first stage of construction of 25 main shipbuilding contracts for gas tankers with an average capacity of 150,000 cubic meters. m amounted to $5.5 billion. This suggests that this sector is interesting, stable, diverse and profitable. Therefore, the competition here between Greek shipping companies and companies from Norway and Japan will increase. When considering the investment policy of Greek shipping companies, it is important to pay attention to their stable performance in the cargo transportation market, sustainable development business and constant renewal of the fleet. They master with confidence international market sea transportation of gas.
The shipping company GAS LOG is international and considered the oldest in Greece. The company's management is located in Greece and Monaco. The order portfolio includes 6 gas tankers; a contract was signed with the shipbuilding company Samsung Heavy Ind. (SHI), investments amounted to $1.6 billion. The commissioning of newly built ships will be carried out during 2013-2015. Upon completion of construction, the company will have 15 gas carriers ranging from 155,000 to 174,000 cubic meters. m, with a total capacity of 2.4 million cubic meters. m. The company also manages 12 gas tankers.
The shipping company MARAN GAS Maritime is the largest Greek company, which operates 7 LNG ships with a capacity from 145,000 to 159,800 cubic meters. m. The company's order portfolio includes 17 gas carriers with a capacity from 159,800 to 174,000 cubic meters. m, ordered from shipyards in South Korea - Daewoo Shipbuilding&Marine Engineering (DSME) and Hyundai Samho Heavy Ind. (HSHI). The total investment amounted to $2.0 billion. Commissioning of the vessels is scheduled for 2014-2016.
Shipping company CARDIFF MARINE - the company operates 61 vessels, the total DWT is 8.2 million tons. The company ordered the construction of 4 gas tankers (plus 2 vessels reserved) at the DSME shipyard in South Korea at a cost of $212 million each vessel. Investments in the new building amounted to more than $1.0 billion. The company plans to invest in the development and construction of gas tankers and increase the total number of gas carriers to 21 vessels by 2015. This new product for a new market.
THENAMARIS shipping company has ordered 3 gas tankers from SAMSUNG Shipyard (SHI). Commissioning of the vessels is scheduled for 2014. It is important to note that the vessels will be handed over to the management of Berhard Shutle Shipmanagement due to the lack of trained crews and experience in operating such a fleet.
The shipping company DYNAGAS operates 72 vessels with a total DWT of 10.5 million tons. The company has ordered 7 gas carriers from the Hyundai Shipyard (HHI) and 1 tanker with a capacity of 160,000 cubic meters. m at the SAMHO shipyard (HSHI). The cost of the contract vessels is more than $1.6 billion. Commissioning is planned for 2014-2015.
The shipping company ALFA TANKER ordered 1 gas tanker from the shipyard STX Offshore & Shipbuilding Co. (South Korea) at a price of $200 million plus 1 tanker (option) at the same price. Commissioning is scheduled for 2015.
Shipping company ALMI TANKER - this medium-sized company by modern standards specializes in the transportation of oil and petroleum products. The company has 14 tankers (Aframax, Suezmax, VLCC), with a total DWT of about 2.0 million tons. The company plans to build two gas tankers, ordered from the DSME shipyard in South Korea at a cost of 200 million each. Newly built vessels will begin operating in the LNG shipping market in 2015.
Shipping company TSAKOS Energy Nav. (TEN) - the company has a fleet of 82 vessels with a total DWT of 8.2 million tons. Over the past 10 years, the company has been developing rapidly, receiving new vessels various types and tonnage. The company has 2 gas tankers in its order book at the DSME shipyard. Negotiations are underway with the plant management to sign a contract for the construction of 6 more gas tankers, which will be built within 6 years.
The future of the LNG market
The global LNG market in the next decade is expected to significant changes. They will happen in several directions at once: firstly, gas consumption will increase; secondly, the volume of gas processing and its supplies to the international market will increase; thirdly, the geography (direction) of cargo flows will change and the methods of delivering raw materials to consumers will expand.
The LNG market on a global scale will grow due to expected economic growth (especially in developing countries) and increased demand for energy resources, which are directly related to the consumption of blue fuel. It should be noted that natural gas is the most environmentally friendly product when burned (than coal and petroleum products). Therefore, an increase in the number of power plants that will run on natural gas is expected. At the same time, in a number of countries there is practically no production of natural gas, but the demand for its consumption is nevertheless growing.
According to experts, the volume of demand for natural gas will increase from 3149 billion cubic meters. m in 2008 to 4535 billion cubic meters. m in 2035. This is 44% more than the average annual growth (1.4%) for all previous years. Global natural gas use is expected to grow by 84% until 2035. On the Chinese side, growth is expected to be 5.9% per year. Demand will also increase over the forecast period in countries in the Middle East that do not have their own natural reserves, in particular in India and Latin America. North America and Europe (despite much slower economic growth) will also increase LNG demand by 12% of global consumption by 2035.
Natural gas consumption is also expected to increase at the interregional level from 670 million cubic meters. m in 2008 to 1187 million cubic meters. m by 2035. And the total volume of LNG trade is projected to increase from 210 billion cubic meters. m in 2008 to 500 billion cubic meters. m in 2035
Japan, South Korea, India, and China are the largest importers in Asia. In 2009, these countries imported about 55% of the global LNG market. Spain, France and the USA are the largest importers of LNG in the Atlantic basin, including England.
The largest producers and exporters of LNG are still considered to be Qatar, Malaysia and Indonesia, with 44% of the world market exports in 2009.
Other largest producers- Nigeria, Algeria, Australia, Trinidad and Tobago are increasing their capacity. In 2010, liquefied gas capacity amounted to about 360 billion cubic meters. m per year. An additional 77 billion cubic meters. m is under development. Another 500 billion cubic meters. m is currently in the planning stage and the beginning of development. Australia, Russia, Nigeria and Iran account for 77% of global new LNG capacity development.
Russia and LNG
Russia is at the beginning of its journey in LNG production; today it accounts for about 5% of the world market. However, there are plans to increase its presence in the global LNG market to 10%. Increasing production volumes means building new gas processing plants and gas tankers for transporting finished products.
Russia currently has 10 gas tankers in operation. Another 6 LNG vessels are being built at Korean shipyards (HMD and STX shipyards). There is a preliminary agreement with the Korean leadership on the construction of five more ice-class gas tankers. In addition, a program for the construction of ships of this type at the domestic Zvezda shipyard is being considered. Thus, in the future, as a result of increasing LNG production in Russia, the high-tech marine fleet will also grow.
The production and transportation of liquefied natural gas does not require the construction of thousands of kilometers of pipelines. It is transported by a new type of vessel - gas tankers. Hence the flexibility of supplies and the expansion of opportunities to deliver gas to consumers anywhere in the world. It is expected that by 2030 the share of LNG consumption in the international gas market will reach 50%. Russia is developing both production and transportation of this product, focusing on Asian markets as the most dynamically developing ones. It is important not to be late and to take your place among the leading participants in this market on time.
Marine News of Russia No. 16 (2013)
Gazprom's long-term development strategy involves the development of new markets and diversification of activities. Therefore, one of the company’s key objectives today is to increase liquefied natural gas (LNG) production and LNG market share.
Russia's favorable geographical position allows it to supply gas throughout the world. The growing market in the Asia-Pacific region (APR) will be a key consumer of gas in the coming decades. Two Far Eastern LNG projects will allow Gazprom to strengthen its position in the Asia-Pacific region - the already operating Sakhalin-2 and the Vladivostok-LNG project, which is under implementation. Our other project, Baltic LNG, is aimed at the countries of the Atlantic region.
We will tell you how gas is liquefied and LNG is transported in our photo report.
The first and so far the only gas liquefaction plant in Russia (LNG plant) is located on the shore of Aniva Bay in the south of the Sakhalin region. The plant produced its first batch of LNG in 2009. Since then, more than 900 LNG cargoes have been sent to Japan, South Korea, China, Taiwan, Thailand, India and Kuwait (1 standard LNG cargo = 65 thousand tons). The plant annually produces more than 10 million tons of liquefied gas and provides more than 4% of global LNG supplies. This share may increase - in June 2015, Gazprom and Shell signed a Memorandum on the implementation of the project for the construction of the third technological line of the LNG plant at the Sakhalin-2 project.
The operator of the Sakhalin-2 project is Sakhalin Energy, in which Gazprom (50% plus 1 share), Shell (27.5% minus 1 share), Mitsui (12.5%) and Mitsubishi (10%) have shares. ). Sakhalin Energy is developing the Piltun-Astokhskoye and Lunskoye fields in the Sea of Okhotsk. The LNG plant receives gas from the Lunskoye field.
Having traveled more than 800 km from the north of the island to the south, the gas arrives at the plant through this yellow pipe. First of all, the gas measuring station determines the composition and volume of the incoming gas and sends it for purification. Before liquefaction, raw materials must be freed from impurities of dust, carbon dioxide, mercury, hydrogen sulfide and water, which turns into ice when gas is liquefied.
The main component of LNG is methane, which must contain at least 92%. The dried and purified raw gas continues its path along the production line, and its liquefaction begins. This process is divided into two stages: first, the gas is cooled to −50 degrees, then to −160 degrees Celsius. After the first cooling stage, the separation of heavy components - ethane and propane - occurs.
As a result, ethane and propane are sent for storage in these two tanks (ethane and propane will be needed in further stages of liquefaction).
These columns are the main refrigerator of the plant; it is in them that the gas becomes liquid, cooling to −160 degrees. The gas is liquefied using technology specially developed for the plant. Its essence is that methane is cooled using a refrigerant previously separated from the feed gas: ethane and propane. The liquefaction process takes place under normal conditions atmospheric pressure.
The liquefied gas is sent to two tanks, where it is also stored at atmospheric pressure until it is loaded onto a gas carrier. The height of these structures is 38 meters, the diameter is 67 meters, the volume of each tank is 100 thousand cubic meters. The tanks have a double-walled design. The inner casing is made of cold-resistant nickel steel, the outer casing is made of prestressed reinforced concrete. The one and a half meter space between the buildings is filled with perlite ( rock volcanic origin), it maintains the required temperature regime in the inner body of the tank.
The leading engineer of the enterprise, Mikhail Shilikovsky, gave us a tour of the LNG plant. He joined the company in 2006, participated in the completion of the plant’s construction and its launch. Currently the company operates two parallel technological lines, each of them produces up to 3.2 thousand cubic meters of LNG per hour. Division of production allows reducing the energy consumption of the process. For the same reason, the gas is cooled in stages.
An oil export terminal is located five hundred meters from the LNG plant. It is much simpler. After all, here the oil is essentially waiting to be sent to the next buyer. Oil also comes to the south of Sakhalin from the north of the island. Already at the terminal it is mixed with gas condensate released during the preparation of gas for liquefaction.
“Black gold” is stored in two such tanks with a volume of 95.4 thousand tons each. The tanks are equipped with a floating roof - if we looked at them from a bird's eye view, we would see the volume of oil in each of them. It takes about 7 days to completely fill the tanks with oil. Therefore, oil is shipped once a week (LNG is shipped once every 2-3 days).
All production processes at the LNG plant and oil terminal are closely monitored from a central control panel (CCP). All production sites are equipped with cameras and sensors. The CPU is divided into three parts: the first is responsible for life support systems, the second controls security systems, the third monitors production processes. Control over gas liquefaction and its shipment rests on the shoulders of three people, each of whom checks up to 3 control circuits every minute during his shift (it lasts 12 hours). In this work, speed of reaction and experience are important.
One of the most experienced people here is the Malaysian Viktor Botin (he doesn’t know why his name and surname are so consonant with Russians, but he says that everyone asks him this question when they meet). On Sakhalin, Victor has been training young specialists on CPU simulators for 4 years now, but with real tasks. A beginner’s training lasts a year and a half, then the coach closely monitors his work “in the field” for the same amount of time.
But the laboratory staff daily examines not only samples of raw materials received at the production complex and studies the composition of shipped batches of LNG and oil, but also checks the quality of petroleum products and lubricants, which are used both on the territory of the production complex and outside it. In this frame you see how laboratory technician Albina Garifulina studies the composition of lubricants that will be used on drilling platforms in the Sea of Okhotsk.
And this is no longer research, but experiments with LNG. From the outside, liquid gas is similar to plain water, but it evaporates quickly at room temperature and is so cold that it is impossible to work with it without special gloves impossible. The essence of this experiment is that any living organism freezes upon contact with LNG. The chrysanthemum, lowered into the flask, was completely covered with an ice crust in just 2-3 seconds.
Meanwhile, LNG shipments begin. The port of Prigorodnoye accepts gas carriers of various capacities - from small ones capable of transporting 18 thousand cubic meters of LNG at a time, to such large ones as the gas tanker Ob River, which you see in the photo, with a capacity of almost 150 thousand cubic meters. Liquefied gas goes into tanks (as tanks for transporting LNG on gas carriers are called) through pipes located under an 800-meter berth.
Loading LNG onto such a tanker takes 16-18 hours. The pier is connected to the vessel by special sleeves called standers. This can be easily determined by the thick layer of ice on the metal, which is formed due to the temperature difference between the LNG and the air. In the warm season, a more impressive crust forms on the metal. Photo from the archive.
The LNG has been shipped, the ice has been melted, the stands have been disconnected, and you can hit the road. Our destination is the South Korean port of Gwangyang.
Since the tanker is moored at the port of Prigorodny on its left side to load LNG, four tugs help the gas carrier leave the port. They literally drag it along with them until the tanker can turn around to continue on its own. In winter, the duties of these tugs also include clearing ice from the approaches to the berths.
LNG tankers are faster than other cargo ships, and even more so they can give a head start to any passenger liner. Maximum speed gas carrier "River Ob" - more than 19 knots or about 36 km per hour (the speed of a standard oil tanker is 14 knots). The ship can reach South Korea in a little more than two days. But, taking into account the tight schedule of LNG loading and receiving terminals, the speed of the tanker and its route are adjusted. Our voyage will last almost a week and will include one short stop off the coast of Sakhalin.
Such a stop allows you to save fuel and has already become a tradition for all crews of gas carriers. While we were anchored waiting for the right time of departure, the tanker Grand Mereya was waiting next to us for its turn to moor in the Sakhalin port.
And now we invite you to take a closer look at the gas carrier “River Ob” and its crew. This photo was taken in the fall of 2012 - during the transportation of the world's first shipment of LNG via the Northern Sea Route.
The pioneer was the tanker "Ob River", which, accompanied by the icebreakers "50 Let Pobedy", "Russia", "Vaigach" and two ice pilots, delivered a shipment of LNG belonging to subsidiary company"Gazprom" - "Gazprom Marketing & Trading" (Gazprom Marketing & Trading) or abbreviated as GMT (GM&T), from Norway to Japan. The journey took almost a month.
The Ob River can be compared in its parameters to a floating residential area. The length of the tanker is 288 meters, width - 44 meters, draft - 11.2 meters. When you are on such a gigantic ship, even two-meter waves seem like splashes, which, breaking against the side, create bizarre patterns on the water.
The gas carrier "River Ob" received its name in the summer of 2012 - after the conclusion of a lease agreement between Gazprom Marketing and Trading and the Greek shipping company Dynagas. Prior to this, the ship was called Clean Power and until April 2013 operated all over the world for gas transportation (including twice along the Northern Sea Route). Then it was chartered by Sakhalin Energy and will now operate in the Far East until 2018.
Membrane tanks for liquefied gas are located in the bow of the ship and, unlike spherical tanks (which we saw at the Grand Mereya), are hidden from view - they are revealed only by pipes with valves protruding above the deck. In total, there are four tanks on the Ob River - with a volume of 25, 39 and two of 43 thousand cubic meters of gas. Each of them is filled to no more than 98.5%. LNG tanks have a multi-layer steel casing, the space between the layers is filled with nitrogen. This allows you to maintain the temperature liquid fuel, and also by creating greater pressure in the membrane layers than in the tank itself, to prevent damage to the tanks.
The tanker is also equipped with an LNG cooling system. As soon as the cargo begins to heat up, a pump is turned on in the tanks, which pumps cooler LNG from the bottom of the tank and sprays it onto the upper layers of the heated gas. This process of cooling LNG by LNG itself allows us to reduce losses of “blue fuel” during transportation to the consumer to a minimum. But it only works while the ship is moving. The heated gas, which can no longer be cooled, leaves the tank through a special pipe and is sent to the engine room, where it is burned instead of ship fuel.
The temperature of the LNG and its pressure in the tanks is monitored daily by gas engineer Ronaldo Ramos. He takes readings from sensors installed on the deck several times a day.
A more in-depth analysis of the cargo is carried out by a computer. At the control panel, where everything is necessary information about LNG, the senior assistant captain-understudy Pankaj Puneet and the third assistant captain Nikolai Budzinsky are on duty.
And this engine room is the heart of the tanker. On four decks (floors) there are engines, diesel generators, pumps, boilers and compressors, which are responsible not only for the movement of the vessel, but also for all life systems. The coordinated work of all these mechanisms ensures the team drinking water, heat, electricity, fresh air.
These photos and videos were taken at the very bottom of the tank - almost 15 meters under water. In the center of the frame is a turbine. Powered by steam, it makes 4-5 thousand revolutions per minute and causes the propeller to rotate, which, in turn, sets the ship itself in motion.
The mechanics, led by chief engineer Manjit Singh, ensure that everything on the ship works like a clock...
…and second mechanic Ashwani Kumar. Both are from India, but own assessments, most of spent their lives at sea.
Their subordinates, the mechanics, are responsible for the serviceability of the equipment in the engine room. In the event of a breakdown, they immediately begin repairs, and also regularly conduct technical inspections of each unit.
Anything that requires more careful attention is sent to the repair shop. There's one here too. Third mechanic Arnulfo Ole (left) and trainee mechanic Ilya Kuznetsov (right) repair a part of one of the pumps.
The brain of the ship is the captain's bridge. Captain Velemir Vasilic heard the call of the sea in early childhood - every third family in his hometown in Croatia lives with a sailor. At the age of 18 he already went to sea. 21 years have passed since then, he has changed more than a dozen ships - he worked on both cargo and passenger ships.
But even on vacation, he will always find the opportunity to go to sea, even on a small yacht. It is recognized that then there is a real opportunity to enjoy the sea. After all, the captain has a lot of worries at work - he is responsible not only for the tanker, but also for each member of the crew (there are 34 of them on the Ob River).
The captain's bridge of a modern ship, in terms of the presence of operating panels, instruments and various sensors, resembles the cockpit of an airliner, even the steering wheels are similar. In the photo, sailor Aldrin Galang waits for the captain's command before taking the helm.
The gas carrier is equipped with radars that allow you to accurately indicate the type of vessel nearby, its name and crew size, navigation systems and GPS sensors that automatically determine the location of the Ob River, electronic maps that mark the points of passage of the vessel and plot its upcoming route, and electronic compasses. Experienced sailors, however, teach young people not to depend on electronics - and from time to time they give the task of determining the location of the ship by the stars or the sun. Pictured are Third Mate Roger Dias and Second Mate Muhammad Imran Hanif.
Technical progress has not yet succeeded in replacing paper maps, on which the location of the tanker is marked every hour using a simple pencil and a ruler, and the ship's log, which is also filled out by hand.
So, it's time to continue our journey. The “River Ob” is removed from its anchor weighing 14 tons. The anchor chain, almost 400 meters long, is lifted by special machines. Several team members are monitoring this.
Everything about everything - no more than 15 minutes. How long this process would take if the anchor was raised manually, the command does not undertake to calculate.
Experienced sailors say that modern ship life is very different from what it was 20 years ago. Now discipline and a strict schedule are at the forefront. From the moment of launch, a 24-hour watch was organized on the captain's bridge. Three groups of two people each day, eight hours a day (with breaks, of course), keep watch on the navigation bridge. The duty officers monitor the course of the gas carrier and the general situation, both on the ship itself and outside it. We also carried out one of the watches under the strict supervision of Roger Diaz and Nikolai Budzinsky.
Mechanics have a different job at this time - they not only monitor the equipment in the engine room, but also maintain spare and emergency equipment in working order. For example, changing the oil in a lifeboat. There are two of these on the Ob River in case of emergency evacuation, each is designed for 44 people and is already filled with the necessary supply of water, food and medicine.
The sailors are washing the deck at this time...
...and clean the premises - cleanliness on the ship is no less important than discipline.
Almost daily training alarms add variety to routine work. The entire crew takes part in them, putting aside their main duties for a while. During the week of our stay on the tanker, we observed three drills. At first, the team did their best to put out an imaginary fire in the incinerator.
Then she rescued a hypothetical victim who had fallen from a great height. In this frame you see a “person” who has almost been saved - he was handed over to the medical team, which is transporting the victim to the hospital. The role of everyone in drills is almost documented. The medical team in such training is led by cook Ceazar Cruz Campana (center) and his assistants Maximo Respecia (left) and Reygerield Alagos (right).
The third training session - searching for a mock bomb - was more like a quest. The process was led by senior mate Grewal Gianni (third from left). The entire crew of the ship was divided into teams, each of which received cards with a list of places necessary for inspection...
...and started searching big green boxes labeled "Bomb". Of course, for speed.
Work is work, and lunch is on schedule. The Filipino Cesar Cruz Campana is responsible for three meals a day; you have already seen him in the photo earlier. Professional culinary education and more than 20 years of experience on ships allow him to do his job quickly and playfully. He admits that during this time he traveled all over the world, except Scandinavia and Alaska, and thoroughly studied the eating habits of each people.
Not everyone can cope with the task of feeding such an international team. To please everyone, he prepares Indian, Malaysian and Continental dishes for breakfast, lunch and dinner. Maximo and Reigerield help him in this.
Members of the crew often drop by to visit the galley (that’s what they call the kitchen in ship’s parlance). Sometimes, missing home, they cook national cuisine themselves. They cook not only for themselves, but also treat the entire crew. On this occasion, they collectively helped finish the Indian dessert laddu prepared by Pankach (left). While cook Caesar finished preparing the main dishes for dinner, Roger (second from left) and Muhammad (second from right) helped a colleague make small balls of sweet dough.
Russian sailors introduce their foreign colleagues to their culture through music. Third mate Sergei Solnov plays music with native Russian motifs on the guitar before dinner.
Spending free time together on the ship is encouraged - officers serve for three months at a time, privates - for almost a year. During this time, all crew members became not just colleagues, but friends for each other. On weekends (here it’s Sunday: everyone’s duties are not cancelled, but they try to give the crew fewer tasks) organizes joint movie screenings, karaoke competitions, or team competitions in video games.
But most in demand active recreation is popular here - on the open sea, table tennis is considered the most active team sport. At the local gym, the crew organizes real tournaments at the tennis table.
Meanwhile, the already familiar landscape began to change, and land appeared on the horizon. We are approaching the shores of South Korea.
This is where LNG transportation ends. At the regasification terminal, liquefied gas becomes gaseous again and is sent to South Korean consumers.
And the Ob River, after the tanks are completely empty, returns to Sakhalin for the next batch of LNG. Which Asian country the gas carrier will go to next often becomes known immediately before the vessel begins to be loaded with Russian gas.
Our gas voyage has ended, and the LNG component of Gazprom’s business, like a huge gas tanker, is actively picking up cruising speed. We wish this big “ship” a long voyage.
P.S. Photo and video shooting was carried out in compliance with all safety requirements. We would like to express our gratitude to the employees of Gazprom Marketing and Trading and Sakhalin Energy for their assistance in organizing the filming.
The oil and gas industry is rightfully considered one of the most high-tech industries in the world. Equipment used for oil and gas production numbers hundreds of thousands of items, and includes a variety of devices - from elements shut-off valves, weighing several kilograms, to gigantic structures - drilling platforms and tankers, having gigantic dimensions and costing many billions of dollars. In this article we will look at the offshore giants of the oil and gas industry.
Gas tankers of Q-max type
The largest gas tankers in the history of mankind can rightly be called tankers of the Q-max type. "Q" here stands for Qatar, and "max"- maximum. A whole family of these floating giants was created specifically for the delivery of liquefied gas from Qatar by sea.
Ships of this type began to be built in 2005 at the company's shipyards Samsung Heavy Industries- shipbuilding division of Samsung. The first ship was launched in November 2007. He was named "Moza", in honor of the wife of Sheikh Moza bint Nasser al-Misned. In January 2009, having loaded 266,000 cubic meters of LNG in the port of Bilbao, a vessel of this type crossed the Suez Canal for the first time.
Q-max type gas carriers are operated by the company STASCo, but are owned by the Qatar Gas Transmission Company (Nakilat), and are chartered primarily by Qatari LNG producing companies. In total, contracts for the construction of 14 such vessels have been signed.
The dimensions of such a vessel are 345 meters (1,132 feet) long and 53.8 meters (177 feet) wide. The ship is 34.7 m (114 ft) tall and has a draft of about 12 meters (39 ft). At the same time, the vessel can accommodate a maximum volume of LNG equal to 266,000 cubic meters. m (9,400,000 cubic meters).
Here are photographs of the largest ships in this series:
Tanker "Moza"- the first ship in this series. Named after the wife of Sheikh Moza bint Nasser al-Misned. The naming ceremony took place on July 11, 2008 at the shipyard Samsung Heavy Industries in South Korea.
tanker« BU Samra»
Tanker« Mekaines»
Pipe-laying vessel “Pioneering spirit”
In June 2010, a Swiss company Allseas Marine Contractors entered into a contract for the construction of a vessel designed to transport drilling platforms and lay pipelines along the bottom of the sea. The ship named "Pieter Schelte", but later renamed , was built at the company's shipyard DSME (Daewoo Shipbuilding & Marine Engineering) and in November 2014 departed from South Korea to Europe. The vessel was supposed to be used for laying pipes South Stream in the Black Sea.
The ship is 382 m long and 124 m wide. Let us remind you that the height of the Empire State Building in the USA is 381 m (up to the roof). The side height is 30 m. The vessel is also unique in that its equipment allows laying pipelines at record depths - up to 3500 m.
in the process of completion afloat, July 2013
at the Daewoo shipyard in Geoje, March 2014
in the final stage of completion, July 2014
Comparative sizes (upper deck area) of giant ships, from top to bottom:
- the largest supertanker in history, "Seawise Giant";
- catamaran "Pieter Schelte";
- the world's largest cruise ship "Allure of the Seas";
- the legendary Titanic.
Photo source - ocean-media.su
Floating liquefied natural gas plant "Prelude"
The following giant has comparable dimensions to the floating pipe layer - "Prelude FLNG"(from English - “floating plant for the production of liquefied natural gas “ Prelude"") - the world's first plant for the production liquefied natural gas (LNG) placed on a floating base and intended for the production, treatment, liquefaction of natural gas, storage and shipment of LNG at sea.
To date "Prelude" is the largest floating object on Earth. The closest ship in size until 2010 was an oil supertanker "Knock Nevis" 458 meters long and 69 meters wide. In 2010, it was cut into scrap metal, and the laurels of the largest floating object went to the pipelayer "Pieter Schelte", later renamed to
In contrast, the platform length "Prelude" 106 meters less. But it is larger in tonnage (403,342 tons), width (124 m) and displacement (900,000 tons).
Besides "Prelude" is not a ship in the exact sense of the word, because does not have engines, having on board only a few water pumps used for maneuvering
The decision to build a plant "Prelude" was accepted Royal Dutch Shell May 20, 2011, and construction was completed in 2013. According to the project, the floating structure will produce 5.3 million tons of liquid hydrocarbons per year: 3.6 million tons of LNG, 1.3 million tons of condensate and 0.4 million tons of LPG. The weight of the structure is 260 thousand tons.
Displacement when fully loaded is 600,000 tons, which is 6 times more than the displacement of the largest aircraft carrier.
The floating plant will be located off the coast of Australia. This unusual decision to locate an LNG plant at sea was caused by the position of the Australian government. It allowed gas production on the shelf, but categorically refused to locate a plant on the shores of the continent, fearing that such proximity would adversely affect the development of tourism.
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