Safety First

In March 2022, the EU’s desire to become independent of Russian oil and gas paved the way for a historic agreement on LNG trade between the US and the EU. The US will strive to ensure additional LNG volumes for the EU market of at least 15 billion m3 in 2022. This corresponds to 12% of the natural gas imported by the EU from Russia. Going forward, the European Commission will work with EU Member States to ensure stable demand for additional US LNG of approximately 50 billion m³/y until at least 2030. In 2021, the US supplied Europe with 22 billion m³, according to EU data. In June alone, the US conveyed more LNG to European countries than what was the case all of last year, according to Reuters.

On the other side of the world, China has begun the construction of approximately 40 LNG tanks, each with the capacity of 220 000 m³ low gradient LNG. According to Global LNG Hub, China’s LNG import increased by 82% from 2017 to 2020. As per April 2022, countries in Asia and the Asia-Pacific, such as Japan, China, India, and South Korea, are responsible for approximately 80% of the regasification capacity under construction that is being carried out at new and existing LNG terminals.

In 2022, there has been a volatile market with gas prices on the rise. The reason leads back to the adjustment the market is currently going through following the step-down from Russian gas supply. But with many constructions and expansions of LNG terminals, it indicates that the market tries to stabilise itself.

The latest edition of Global Voice of Gas concluded that the future of LNG requires greater and more stable investment in supply as well as added attention to energy security. The perception is the same at Svanehøj, who expects the LNG trade to increase despite the growing costs, as construction of both export and import terminals are increasing significantly in the coming years. Mainly in the US and China, respectively, but also in Europe. According to the Center for Liquefied Natural Gas, approximately 30 projects are currently underway in Europe, as the EU lacks import terminal capacity to accommodate the increase of LNG export from the US.

Heightened safety measures

With growing trade of LNG, an increased diversification of LNG supply sources may occur in the LNG tanks as different compositions of LNG are stored in the tanks. It is the primary concern in terms of assuring stability and safety in LNG storage.

At import terminals, LNG is stored in tanks with temperatures close to the LNG bubble point (-162°C/-259°F). During storage, boil-off will result in a continuously changing chemical composition of the LNG. Consequently, storing different grades of LNG in receiving tanks, topped with the ongoing modification of the chemical characteristics of the stored LNG, calls for proactive measures in view of the possible development or creation of stratification, monitoring of such, and alerting the terminal operators in time in case of a detected unstable stratification that might evolve into a rollover of the layers.

Since its acquisition of Wärtsilä tank control systems in 2021, Svanehøj has focused on instrumentation and software solutions that ensure all hazardous aspects related to the storage of liquified gas are known and controllable. The systems proactively measure possible development or creation of stratification by monitoring LNG tanks.

The amplified focus on safety solutions for LNG storage has become an important aspect of Svanehøj’s overall area of expertise. The product range includes gauges, temperature transmitters, and control systems that operate accurately under cryogenic conditions.

The monitoring systems from Svanehøj tank control systems are used to ensure the highest safety measures in LNG terminals. The servo level gauges provide continuous measurement of the LNG level using a servo-driven sensor that is in direct contact with the liquid. Thereby, ensuring that the levels inside the LNG-storage are reliably measured. The LTD gauges will simultaneously provide accurate measurement of the temperature and density throughout the LNG column in each tank.

This is an abridged version of an article that was originally published in the December 2022 issue of LNG Industry. The full version can be read here.

Read the article online at: https://www.lngindustry.com/special-reports/02012023/safety-first/