ADNOC LNG Train 3

Image Source : ADNOC Website – ADNOC LNG Plant

Location : Das Island, Abu Dhabi

In 1958 oil was discovered 150 kms off the coast of Abu Dhabi and triggered off a glorious history for Oil & Gas in UAE. In the 1970’s H.H. Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al-Nahyan, the late President & Founder of the UAE, was deeply concerned about the wastage of natural resources and its adverse effects to the environment due to unnecessary flaring of natural gases. In 1972, an agreement was signed with Tokyo Electric Power Company (TEPCO, now a part of JERA) to supply LNG and LPG over 20 years. In 1973, Abu Dhabi Gas Liquefaction Co. Limited (ADGAS) was founded to realise the Sheikh’s lofty vision, with ADNOC (Abu Dhabi National Oil Company), Mitsui & Co. Ltd, BP, Total and Bridgestone as shareholders.

Das Island, a 2.5 square kms island, 150 kms off the coast of UAE, was selected as the ideal site for construction of the LNG plant. The strategic location provided ADGAS ease of access to growing markets in Middle East, Asia and Europe. The first 2 trains were commissioned in 1977, with first cargo dispatched from the plant on April 29th, 1977. ADGAS became the pioneer of the gas liquefaction industry in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region.

In 1990, ADGAS signed a new agreement with TEPCO to supply double the quantity of LNG for 25 years starting 1994. This necessitated construction of a third and larger LNG train at the facility. With the new train starting production in 1994, ADGAS LNG upped its capacity to 8 MMTPA. In 1997, for the first time the plant sold more than 8 million tonnes of LNG in one calendar year. By late 2005, the project had already processed 100 million tonne of LNG and the very next year a safety milestone of 25 million man-hours without a Lost Time Injury (LTI) was achieved. In October 2017, ADNOC consolidated all its subsidiaries under one parent brand umbrella, rechristening ADGAS LNG to ADNOC LNG.¹

In November 2018, the gas supply agreement to the plant was extended to 2040 with effect from 1^st April 2019. The plant has a unique ability to process both associated and non-associated gases at high as well as low pressures. ADNOC LNG receives associated gas from the Umm Shaif, Zakum and Bunduq oilfields, and natural gas from the Abu Al BukhooshKuff, Uweinat, Areaj and Umm ShaifKhuff oilfields, as well as the cap gas fields.² The facility processes and produces LNG, LPG, paraffinic naphtha and sulphur in addition to supplying one billion standard cubic feet of gas per day to the UAE’s national grid.

ADNOC is deeply concerned about the welfare of the local community and has invested in development of roads, hospitals, schools and mosques, in addition to funding the Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs, Emirates Red Crescent, Khalifa Foundation and various local sports and cultural clubs. In 2008, the ADNOC Schools were founded, which enrol 6000 students into its 4 campuses. The ADNOC Technical Institute (ATI) was established in 1978 and has skilled more than 3500 UAE nationals as oil and gas technicians. Since 1974, ADNOC has supported a scholarship program for post-secondary education of UAE nationals around the world. ADNOC LNG prides its proactive approach towards environmental protection and have successfully committed to reducing flaring and emissions, which formed the foundation of the company.

OWNERSHIP (Equity %)

Abu Dhabi National Oil Company (ADNOC)	70.00%
Mitsui	15.00%
British Petroleum (BP)	10.00%
Total	5.00%

General Data

Estimated Capital Cost (USD)	NA
Plant Type	Onshore
Plant Stage	Operating
Final Investment Decision (FID) Year	1991
FEED Contractor	Chiyoda Corporation
EPC Contractor	Chiyoda Corporation
No. of Trains / capacity	1 Train / 3.2 MMTPA
Production Start Year	1994
Products	LNG, LPG, Condensate, Propane, Butane
Gas Type	Associated and Non-Associated Gas

Technical Data

Cooling Media	Seawater
Liquefaction Technology	APCI AP-C3MR™
Refrigeration Train Details:
Propane String
Driver	Mitsubishi 9CL-12 (40.7MW) Steam Turbine
Propane Compressor	Mitsubishi Compressor Corporation Horizontally Split Centrifugal Compressor
Low Pressure (LP) Mixed Refrigerant (MR) String
Driver	Mitsubishi 9CL-12 (37MW) Steam Turbine
LP MR Compressor	Mitsubishi Compressor Corporation Horizontally Split Centrifugal Compressor
HP Mixed Refrigerant (MR) String
Driver	Mitsubishi 9CL-12 (36.7MW) Steam Turbine
HP MR Compressor	Mitsubishi Compressor Corporation Radially Split Centrifugal Compressor
Power Generation	Trains 1-3 2 x Steam Turbine Generators (17.5 MW) 4 x Gas Turbine Generators (17.5 MW)

Refrigeration Train Configuration

Key Facts

In July 1994, ADNOC LNG started its 3^rd Train at Das Island. At the time, it was the largest and most advanced LNG train of its kind in the world. Since then all the 3 trains have consistently operated at 20% higher than design capacity, due to implementation of various upgrades and process streamlining³
The plant has the ability to process both associated and non-associated gases produced during oil production from various oil fields and gas fields. Trains 1 and 2 process gases at both Low Pressure and High Pressure. However, Train 3 processes only High Pressure gas. Propane, butane, paraffinic naphtha, and molten sulfur are produced as secondary products.³
In 2017, Unique Group successfully performed an On-Line Steam Leak Sealing operation for ADGAS. A high pressure leak on a 2.4 meters OD heat exchanger flange was sealed without shutting down the plant, by installing a 3.14 ton, four-piece ring clamp and injecting 150 gallons of sealant. The operation was extremely valuable to the smooth running of the pant and avoided costly shut-down.⁴
In April 2018, Chiyoda Corporation signed an MoU with ADNOC LNG to provide digital technologies including artificial intelligence and big data analytics. The digital solutions will increase asset value through optimizing plant operation and improving production efficiency.⁵
In December 2018, ADNOC signed a framework agreement with Japan’s Inpex on an LNG bunkering partnership in UAE & Southeast Asia. UAE’s strategic location, abundant gas and reliable LNG production, offers an ideal solutions to ship owners desirous of using LNG as an alternative fuel, to meet stringent compliance requirements.⁶
In November 2018, Total (40%) signed a concession agreement with ADNOC (60%) to develop unconventional gas reserves in the Diyab play, that spans over 6,000 km² to the west of the ADNOC Onshore concession in Abu Dhabi. The agreement covers two exploration and appraisal phases for 7 years and a 40-year development and production period. A successful outcome would not only quench the growing domestic gas demands, but also offer lucrative export opportunities.⁷
ADNOC LNG contracted Edif ERA to inspect and assess over 100 mechanical assets, to reduce maintenance, replacement and repair costs and unplanned operational down time. The GBP 2 million program, which extended into a second and third phase, was carried out during planned shutdowns over approximately three years.⁸
ADNOC LNG processes sour gas that contains significant amounts of acidic gases such as hydrogen sulfide (H₂S) and carbon dioxide (CO₂). Benfield® Hi-Pure units (certified by UOB) are used for processing the sour gases, employing a two-stage sweetening process. The removed acid gases (H₂S and CO₂) are then sent to Sulfur Recovery Units (SRUs) where molten sulfur is recovered from the H₂S using the Super Claus® Process.⁹
Since 2009, ADNOC has dramatically reduced flaring and volume of emissions by 57%. In 2011, a flare handling and reduction scheme was successfully implemented to reutilize flared gas and reduce CO2 emissions. This resulted not only in improving ambient air quality but also provided economic savings.¹⁰
In 2018, Japan’s JERA signed an agreement with ADNOC LNG to purchase as many as 8 cargoes per year. This translates to approximately 0.5 MMTPA of LNG. The 3 year deal will cover deliveries from April 2019 to March 2022, on a delivered-ex-ship (DES) basis.¹¹