Improving energy efficiency during LNG plant turndown operation
Michael Hanlin A * and Matthew Ladner AA Woodside Energy, Perth, WA, Australia.
The APPEA Journal 63 S382-S385 https://doi.org/10.1071/AJ22264
Accepted: 22 February 2023 Published: 11 May 2023
© 2023 The Author(s) (or their employer(s)). Published by CSIRO Publishing on behalf of APPEA.
Abstract
The Karratha Gas Plant (KGP) is one of the most advanced, integrated gas production systems in the world, producing liquefied natural gas (LNG), domestic gas, condensate and liquefied petroleum gas (LPG). The KGP has an export capacity of 16.9 Mtpa, with five LNG processing trains, two domestic gas trains, six condensate stabilisation units and three LPG fractionation units. Following more than 35 years of production from North West Shelf (NWS) fields, the KGP has entered an operating phase where it is more frequently operating in turndown operation. The energy intensity of an LNG production train is often the lowest at maximum production capacity. Should the LNG train become feed gas constrained for extended periods of time, energy intensity increases due to baseload energy required to run the process equipment and physical constraints on equipment turndown. A structured approach has been applied at the KGP to realise improvements in energy intensity in turndown operation through building a strategy, identifying focus areas, energy accounting and benchmarking, data presentation, review and improve cycles, and leadership. The strategy and focus areas are linked to specific actions across different operating timeframes. Review and improve cycles, and leadership help to cultivate an energy efficiency-focused culture and continuous identification of opportunities and barriers to the strategy. Central to all pillars of the strategy is energy accounting, benchmarking and data visualisation which provide value, performance and materiality insights. The benefits can often be realised with limited financial and resource investment, can provide high value return on both emissions performance and reduced fuel consumption.
Keywords: advanced process control, culture, data science, data visualisation, emissions reduction in operations, energy efficiency, leadership, LNG production, process simulation, turndown.
Michael Hanlin, Optimisation Team Lead – NWS, Woodside Energy Ltd. Michael has been with Woodside in various roles for over 15 years and is currently the Optimisation Team Lead for the Woodside-operated North West Shelf Project. Michael graduated with a Bachelor of Chemical Engineering and Finance from the University of Adelaide in 2006. Since joining Woodside in 2007 Michael has held several roles across the business including facility engineering, project development, production forecasting, environmental engineering and optimisation. In his current role as Optimisation Team Lead for NWS, Michael has responsibility for operational forecasts, production and emissions opportunity management, and day-to-day optimisation of production and emissions from the NWS Project. |
Matthew Ladner, Senior Optimisation Engineer, Woodside Energy. Matthew has over 16 years of upstream and LNG industry experience including process engineering design, integrated production forecasting and 10 years of frontline process engineering support on Woodside Energy-operated LNG plants in Karratha, Western Australia. Matthew graduated with a Bachelor of Chemical Engineering from Curtin University in 2006. Matthew joined Woodside Energy in 2010 and in his current role as Senior Optimisation Engineer for the Karratha Gas Plant, Matthew has responsibility for development of and operational integration of an energy efficiency and emissions reduction management system to deliver optimisation of production and emissions from the Karratha Gas Plant and North-West Shelf Project. |
