March 21, 2017 | News
Deliveries of US Shale Gas to INEOS in UK Cooled by Burckhardt Compression Laby® Compressor Systems
Burckhardt Compression is proud to announce that it is part of the ongoing shipment of US shale gas to the INEOS Grangemouth petrochemical site in Scotland, UK. A set of high-quality low-temperature boil-off gas compressors has been installed in each of the multi-gas carriers that make up the fleet of specially designed ‘Dragon-class’ vessels and at the onshore storage tank in Grangemouth. In addition, Burckhardt Compression labyrinth piston compressors are installed at the polypropylene and polyethylene production plants in Grangemouth.
The petrochemical site, run by chemical giant INEOS, is home to one of the largest cryogenic ethane gas storage tanks in Europe. Burckhardt Compression delivered the Laby® labyrinth piston compressors used to manage boil-off gas in this tank. The INEOS facility converts ethane into ethylene, which is used in the production of a range of plastic products, solvents and anti-freezes. INEOS has stated that the amount of ethane extracted from the North Sea, its long-time source of feedstock, has declined at such a rate that it is unable to operate its ethylene manufacturing plant at design rates. The company therefore sought alternative sources of feedstock in the form of US Shale Gas ethane and signed an agreement with Danish company, Evergas, to build a trans-Atlantic “virtual pipeline” of eight multi-gas vessels, ensuring a steady supply of raw material for the next 15 years.
Each of these ‘Dragon-class’ ships, built by the Chinese group Sinopacific, is able to carry 27,500 cubic meters of ethane gas and have been designed to transport LPG and LNG in addition to ethane. The ships are powered by two Wärtsilä 6L50DF dual-fuel engines, which can be run on ethane, LNG or conventional diesel. In order to comply with specifications, the main engines have undergone several modifications, including a lower compression ratio. The boil-off gas compression system is designed and delivered by Wärtsilä Gas Solutions, including the compressors built by Burckhardt Compression. The system has been specifically designed to meet all requirements (cryogenic conditions, oil-free, labyrinth sealed), resulting in an extremely reliable final product with an improved environmental performance.
Burckhardt Compression’s labyrinth piston compression solutions are widely used in fuel gas injection and re-liquefaction systems in marine applications, terminals and FSRUs. Laby® compressors are the first choice in a variety of different applications due to their oil-free design and contactless labyrinth sealing technology, which result in reduced wear on the components and consequently an increased mean time between overhauls. Its design enables flexible shut-downs and start-ups without pre-cooling, and is completely gas-tight. Along with its superior compressor solutions, Burckhardt Compression also offers a full range of services and top-performance components through its global organization and local service centers.
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About Burckhardt Compression
Burckhardt Compression is one of the worldwide market leaders in the field of reciprocating compressors and the only manufacturer that covers a complete range of reciprocating compressor technologies. Its customized compressor systems are used in the upstream oil & gas, gas transport and storage, refinery, chemical, petrochemical and industrial gas sectors. Burckhardt Compression’s leading technology, high-quality compressor components and the full range of services help customers to minimize life cycle costs of their reciprocating compressor systems around the world. Since 1844 its highly skilled workforce has crafted superior solutions and set the benchmark in the gas compression industry.
Further inquiries
Burckhardt Compression Holding AG
Marco Scanderbeg
VP Corporate Marketing, Communications & Business Development
Tel.: +41 52 262 57 08
Fax: +41 52 262 03 48
[email protected]
www.burckhardtcompression.com
