OSINERGMIN LNG Seminar

Lecture Notes
June 17th,2008, Lima, Peru

Presented by
Zoher Meratla, Principal
CDS Research Ltd, Vancouver, Canada
www.cdsresearch.com

Part 1 What is LNG?

LNG Overall Chain

Pipeline

LNG
Carrier

Pipeline

What is LNG?
LNG Properties:
Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) Colorless,
odorless, & non-toxic
Density ~ 430 470 kg/m3
Constituents: mostly methane
Typical constituents: methane, ethane,
propane, butane
Volume reduction from gas to liquid phase 600:1

LNG Tank

Cryogenic Heat
Exchanger (MCR Cycle)

Regenerator

Separator

-158C, 5.5 kPa gauge

Joule Thompson Valve

-30C, 55 - 60 Atm

Three Stage
Propane
Coolers

Hg Removal

< 1 ppmv H2O

H2O Removal

< 50 ppmv CO2

CO2 Removal

Liquids Separator

Metering

Pressure Control Valve

18C, 75 80 Atm

What is LNG?
LNG Properties:

Average storage pressure ~ 3-5 kPa g (atmospheric tanks)

Saturation temperature -158/-160 deg. C
Boil-off gas from storage tank: mostly methane and nitrogen
Mole fraction of NGL products increases with storage time

What is LNG?
Weathering Tank LNG Composition versus Time Simulation:

Composition of LNG in storage tanks changes over time due to boiloff gas: light fractions boil-off first, which increases the
concentration of the heavier fractions over time.
The rate of composition change is based on the boil-off rate of the
LNG tank.
Example: - Pressure vessel: 10,000 gal capacity
- Boil-off rate: 1% per day

Table 1 - Tank Weathering Simulation: Week 0-10

Initial Stock Week 1 Week 2 Week 3 Week 4 Week 5 Week 6 Week 7 Week 8 Week 9 Week 10
0.9617 0.9625 0.9616 0.9597 0.9572 0.9541 0.9509 0.9474 0.9436
0.9388
0.9343
Methane
0.0287 0.0309 0.0331 0.0355 0.0381 0.0412 0.0441 0.0474 0.0508
0.0551
0.0591
Ethane
0.0026 0.0028 0.0030 0.0033 0.0035 0.0038 0.0041 0.0044 0.0047
0.0051
0.0055
Propane
0.0003 0.0003 0.0003 0.0003 0.0004 0.0004 0.0004 0.0004 0.0005
0.0005
0.0006
i-Butane
0.0002
0.0002
0.0002
0.0002
0.0003
0.0003
0.0003
0.0003
0.0003
0.0004
0.0004
n-Butane
0.0000 0.0000 0.0000 0.0000 0.0000 0.0000 0.0000 0.0000 0.0000
0.0001
0.0001
i-Pentane
0.0000 0.0000 0.0000 0.0000 0.0000 0.0000 0.0000 0.0000 0.0000
0.0000
0.0000
n-Pentane
0.0000 0.0000 0.0000 0.0000 0.0000 0.0000 0.0000 0.0000 0.0000
0.0000
0.0000
n-Hexane
0.0065 0.0033 0.0017 0.0008 0.0004 0.0002 0.0001 0.0001 0.0000
0.0000
0.0000
Nitrogen

Part 2: Hazards Associated with LNG

LNG Boils off Rapidly over Early Stage of a Spill over Land

LNG Burns when in Vapour Phase only

Small LNG Pool Fires May be Extinguished with Dry Chemical

Sample High Capacity Dispensing Dry Chemical Unit

High Expansion Foam Controls Vapour Dispersion

High Expansion Foam Controls LNG Fire

Ductility of LNG Containers Strictly Controlled

Brittle Fracture of LNG Containers Not Acceptable

Part 3: Evolution of Storage tanks

LNG Import Terminal With Single

Containment Storage Tanks

LNG Export Terminal With Full Containment Storage Tank

Part 4 Regulatory Process

Regulatory Process
Governing Codes - Safety

Canada (CSA Z276, Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) Production,

Storage, and Handling, 2007 Edition)

USA (NFPA 59A, Standard for the Production, Storage, and Handling of
Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG), 2006 Edition)

Europe (EN 1473, Installation and Equipment for Liquefied Natural

Gas, Design of Onshore Installations, January 2005)

Regulatory Process
Governing Codes - Basic Requirements

Provide siting requirements to insure public safety

Provide design requirements, including seismic

design basis

US and Canadian codes are more prescriptive than

EN 1473

EN 1473 is more developed for full containment tanks than North

American codes. It also gives greater weight to risk assessment.

Regulatory Process
Governing Codes Exclusion Zones

Heat flux Exclusion Zone (5 kW/m2, 9 kW/m2,

30 kW/m2)

Downwind travel distance to Lower flammability

limit (LFL) and LFL

Specific guidelines for computing radiant heat flux and vapour dispersion
modeling

Seismic design in North America: Operating Basis Earthquake (OBE=

1:475 year return period); Safe Shutdown Earthquake (SSE= 1:2500
year return period). For EN 1473, SSE = 1:10,000 year return period

Regulatory Process
Governing Codes Exclusion Zone Affected by:

Type of storage tank

Type of impoundment

Product handled (LNG, refrigerants, NGL products)

Radiant heat flux around an elevated or ground flare

Plant capacity import terminal (ship unloading and send-out rates)

Plant capacity export facility (liquefaction capacity, loading rate)

Security

Regulatory Process
Governing Codes Exclusion Zones Driven by:

Process and storage design LNG spill pool fire

Process and storage design NGL spill pool fire

LNG transfer line-jetty LNG spill impoundment pool fire

Semi confined space LNG spill vapour cloud explosion, if applicable

NGL products unconfined vapour cloud explosion

LNG storage impoundment pool fire

Vapour dispersion associated with all design spills, without ignition

Accidental spill associated with loading arm failure

Part 5 Design & Construction

Phase

Design & Construction Phase

Governing Codes & Standards

Comprehensive list of codes and standards defining:

-

Competency of contractor
Engineering performance
Material supply
Material testing
Material handling
Fabrication guidelines and testing.

Design & Construction Phase

Governing Codes & Standards Additional
Requirements

Quality Assurance/Quality Control of engineering and construction

Process hazard analysis

Provisions of engineered emergency response to mitigate hazardous

events

Provisions of manned emergency response to mitigate hazardous

events

Part 6 Operating Phase

Operating Phase
Governing Code mandates:

Management structure with clear lines of responsibility

Training of operating, maintenance and inspection Personnel

Training in safety procedures

Training in emergency procedures

Control of design changes.

Part 7 Interfaces with Project

Safety Interfaces - Construction Phase

Safety Interfaces - Construction Phase

Community:

Supplies manpower & services but has no say in the plant itself

Increased vehicle traffic, therefore risk of accidents

Emergency response to in-plant accidents, fires and security

(medical, police and fire department). To be developed prior to
commissioning

Desirable for emergency response personnel to attend some of

the relevant coordination meetings at the LNG plant

Safety Interfaces - Construction Phase

Regulator:

Responsibility for overseeing design and construction

Significant resources required to carry out its duties adequately.

Safety Interfaces - Construction Phase

TERMS OF REFERENCE
(MANDATE OF REGULATOR)

DEVELOPMENT OF AN
EXECUTION STRATEGY

RANK TASKS TO BE
COVERED BY IMPORTANCE

HIGH PRIORITY

MEDIUM PRIORITY

LOW PRIORITY

SCOPE
HOW
WHEN

SAMPLE EXECUTION PLAN FOR REGULATOR

Safety Interfaces - Operating Phase

Safety Interfaces - Operating Phase

Community:

Supplies manpower & services but has no say in the plant itself

Reduced vehicle traffic

Emergency response to in-plant accidents, fires and security

(medical, police and fire department): development of a formal
protocol for emergency response

If required to respond, the fire department needs to train its

personnel for gas fires, LNG fires, etc. Training can be done with
plant operating personnel on site or offsite.

Safety Interfaces Operating Phase

Regulator:

Responsible for overseeing compliance with codes & regulations

Oversees design changes with the potential of affecting safety

Track and assess remedial actions for accidents, fires, explosions,

etc.

Coordinate with other agencies/services.

Thank you

Zoher Meratla
CDS Research Ltd
Suite 1088, PO Box 11611
650 West Georgia Street,
Vancouver, BC V6B 4N9, Canada
Tel: 604 669 4450; Fax: 604 669 4458
www.cdsresearch.com