Industry first for valves destined for Ichthys LNG

A team of McDermott experts has created the first-of-its-kind world’s largest forged body specialty valve after nearly two years of planning and development. The valve, which was created in collaboration with a leading valve manufacturer, will be used in the INPEX-operated Ichthys LNG Project.

“The Ichthys Project umbilical, riser and flowline infrastructure, which will be installed at the Ichthys Field offshore Western Australia, requires connection of the subsea riser base to the 42 in. gas export pipeline going to the onshore LNG processing facility,” explained Jonathan Parkes, McDermott Senior Project Director. “This meant that six 42 in. valves had to be specially designed and fabricated to meet the 40-year design criteria. To our knowledge, these are the world’s largest, single-piece forged, top entry ball valves.”

Each valve measures approximately 9 m in length and 7 m high, and weighs more than 100 t. The first valve has been successfully built and tested. The second valve is currently undergoing factory acceptance testing and is expected to be ready in September. Once all six valves have passed factory testing, two will be installed offshore in 270 m of water, while the remaining four will be installed onshore, one at the landfall block valve and three at the processing facility at Bladin Point.

“This is a great demonstration of client demand driving innovation, and through collaboration, team work and effective Supply Chain Management, on a global scale, we have created an industry first,” commended Tony Duncan, Executive Vice President, Subsea.

World’s largest specialty valves created with McDermott engineers

Adapted from press release by Ted Monroe

Read the article online at: https://www.lngindustry.com/liquefaction/02102014/industry-first-for-valves-destined-for-ichthys-lng-1528/