China National Petroleum Corp. reported recent success in a natural gas liquefaction trial in Ansai County, Shaanxi Province. The province has seen extensive natural gas development in recent years, especially from shale and coalbed methane (OGJ Online, Mar. 20, 2012; OGJ Online, June 5, 2012).
The industrial application of a double mixed-refrigerant (DMR) process independently developed by CNPC’s China Huanqiu Contracting & Engineering Corp. (HQCEC) is the first of large-scale gas liquefaction in China, said CNPC.
Late in 2009, HQCEC received an engineering, procurement, and construction contract for the Ansai LNG project from CNPC’s affiliate Kunlun Energy Co. Ltd. During project implementation, HQCEC has formulated large and medium-sized gas liquefaction technical packages; obtained local sources for primary materials, part of the equipment, and the control system; and developed the proprietary DMR process.
In the recent announcement, CNPC said the successful debut of Ansai LNG project “not only indicates a major step forward of CNPC in relevant proprietary technology development,” it will also “facilitate the economic development of the local area.”