Enagas Improves Efficiency on LNG Reloading Operations

Enagás is reducing to zero boil-off gas losses in LNG reloading operations at average production levels through the introduction of various process improvements, the company said in a statement.

By way of illustration, loading carried out at the Huelva plant on 11 March and 2 April achieved 0% losses while loading at the Cartagena plant on 5 February achieved losses of 0.07%. Additional measures are to be introduced over 2014 that will further enhance efficiency.

In the new international LNG market environment, where LNG reloading in regasification plants is playing a crucial role in meeting growing demand from countries such as Japan, Brazil and Argentina, the Spanish Gas System is leading the way in this type of operation worldwide for the third consecutive year, with 32 tankers scheduled to be loaded at Enagás terminals in 2014, according to Enagás.

“In view of this new context and our customers’ increasingly stringent demands to perform these operations at the lowest possible cost, Enagás has been carrying out a series of improvements to its operating processes and the associated equipment. These include improving boil-off gas recovery, thereby enhancing the efficiency of these facilities and securing a sustainable competitive advantage for Enagás, the Spanish Gas System and infrastructure users,” Enagás said.

The fruits of these efforts can be seen in the latest loading operations at the Huelva terminal in March and April of tankers with a capacity of between 900 and 1,100 GWh at average rates of 3,000 m3 LNG/h, with the plant producing around 85 GWh/d for the transmission network and no boil-off losses.

Meanwhile, in February the Cartagena plant registered the loading of a 970 GWh tanker at an average rate of 1,740 m3 LNG/h, with a boil-off loss of just 0.07%, below production levels of 60 GWh/d.

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Press Release, April 22, 2014; Image: Enagás