What is the gas industry’s most exciting project?

Bill Howe, CEO of Gasconsult, recently told Gastech News that Shell’s Prelude project is, in his opinion, the most exciting project – in terms of technological innovation – in the global gas industry. Howe said: “My view is that Shell Prelude is the most exciting project. In terms of its physical scale for a floating facility, the way it has pushed the design envelope and the ability to operate under extreme climatic conditions are stand out features.

“The concept of developing a floating design with one quarter the footprint of a conventional land based plant demonstrates just how revolutionary the Prelude design is.

“From a corporate perspective, Shell has shown enormous commitment in proceeding with such an innovative facility in an industry known for its conservatism. There are not many organisations who would upfront commit 1.6 million man-hours, costing approximately US$100 million, to the front-end design cost; much of this money at risk pending technical solutions to what must have been many unknowns at the project outset.

“To enhance reliability and online availability of the plant, the process configuration includes a return to the use of a central boiler plant and steam turbine compressor drives. To enhance efficiency, cold sea water from the ocean depths will be used for cooling. The project will also feature major volumes of LPG and condensate recovery which will significantly enhance project returns.”

Bill Howe spoke at the Centres of Technical Excellence (CoTEs) programme at Gastech 2014 in South Korea. The CoTEs presents a series of free-to-attend seminars dedicated to deliver knowledge and awareness of technological innovations in the natural gas industry. For more information on how to get involved, click here.

Edited from press release by Callum O'Reilly

Read the article online at: https://www.lngindustry.com/special-reports/17032015/what-is-the-gas-industrys-most-exciting-project-434/