A natural gas destination | World Pipelines

Save to read list Published by Isabel Stagg, Editorial Assistant World Pipelines, Thursday, 11 July 2024 12:00

Olivier Pellerin, Federica Furcas and Raman Hanjra, Baker Hughes, discuss reducing methane emissions across the natural gas value chain through Integrated Compressor Line (ICL) technology, drawing on a case study showcasing the ICLs in operation.

Natural gas is not only key to the energy transition today but is a destination fuel for the future. The evidence today supports these long-term scenarios – global LNG demand is bullish, driven by significant growth in power usage.

However, providing secure supply for increasing demand is not the industry’s only challenge. We must provide energy in a sustainable and efficient manner to support the achievement of climate goals at a reasonable cost.

Cost effective emissions abatement in the midstream

For the natural gas industry our primary challenge is methane emissions – the second largest contributor to global warming. Under the IEA’s Net Zero Scenario – which sees the global energy sector achieving net-zero emissions by mid-century, limiting the temperature rise to 1.5 °C – methane emissions from fossil fuel operations need to fall by around 75% by 2030.1

Policymakers and regulators have identified this challenge and taken steps to enforce change – the US introduced a tax on methane emissions, the Waste Emissions Charge, while the EU adopted earlier this year its Regulation on methane emissions reduction in the energy sector aimed to minimise leaks of methane by fossil energy companies operating in the EU.

Realising the IEA’s scenario and complying with new regulations will not be easy. Industry needs to identify how to meet increasing demand for natural gas, which, along with its infrastructure, is experiencing a new wave of expansion, whilst reducing major methane leaks at source along the natural gas supply chain.

Despite the scale of the challenge, our industry is more than capable of delivering. We have an obligation to act and we have the ability to do it. We need to demand more from energy, technology and ourselves. We already have the tools at our disposal. A proven portfolio of cost-effective technologies capable of cutting methane emissions exists today. One of these technologies is Integrated Compressor Lines (ICL).

Integrated compression technology: simplicity to reduce venting and fugitive emissions

When we speak to our customers and partners about reducing methane emissions across the natural gas value chain, we are talking about opportunities unlocked by innovative technologies.

This includes ICLs, which reduce methane emissions while simplifying the compression stations operation by removing the risk of oil leaks and reducing fire hazard, increasing the safety of site staff, and minimising downtime.

Our 15+ years field proven ICL combines high-technology components in a simple, robust, and easy-to-operate system that eliminates the Dry Gas Seal (DGS) systems and their associated leakages. It is particularly advantageous for applications where high efficiency, small footprint, and low noise are important.

Let’s take a deeper look at how the Baker Hughes ICL technology works and what it delivers for our customers.

The ICL compressor is a centrifugal compressor driven by a high-speed motor installed together in a pressurised casing. The motor is cooled by the process gas inside the compressor, while the complete shaft line is levitated by active magnetic bearings, eliminating the need for a DGS system. This design mitigates leakage and enables unlimited pressure when the compressor is in standby, avoiding depressurisation in case of long machine stoppages and the resulting costly and polluting methane releases.

The gearless drive and magnetic-bearing shaft levitation combine to eliminate the need for lubrication – saving around 5000 l of oil every five years.

Thanks to the electronic Variable Frequency Drive which enables speed variation, the ICL guarantees smooth operation across a wide range of applications, covering speeds from 35% to 105% of nominal speed (almost double range compared to conventional compressor), which enables modulation of pressure ratio and inlet flow. On top of this, when in pressurised standby, ICL utility consumption is limited to minimal kilowatts of electricity (almost 10 times less than conventional), and it can go from standstill to full speed in less than five minutes, including warm-up time.

In addition, ICLs are significantly quieter than conventional compressors, as noise radiation is attenuated by the pressure vessel.

With a medium-voltage induction motor, ICLs can cover duties up to 20 MW. The machine is available in multiple architectures: one impeller overhung on the motor shaft, or multiple impellers in a single casing, arranged in one or two process sections (inline or in back-to-back). Eligible process gas is not limited to commercial natural gas, it can also process mild raw gas. The ‘full-size’ ICL is a compact configuration that is up to 50% smaller than conventional electric driven compression options.

The ICL range also includes a solution for power ranges below 1 MW with a low-voltage option, ICL-LV, that features industry-proven, low-voltage, permanent-magnet motors. This is a smart, low-pressure solution ideal for flare-gas recovery, gas gathering, and micro-LNG applications. It’s particularly suitable for module integration with process and electrical equipment.

ICLs are also ideal for lifecycle cost optimisation. Its simplicity helps to reduce installation time and…

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Read the article online at: https://www.worldpipelines.com/special-reports/11072024/a-natural-gas-destination/

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