Petronas lets contract for Train 9 compression, targets 2013 FID

Malaysia’s Petronas let a turbocompression contract to GE Oil & Gas for planned Train 9 at the Bintulu LNG complex in Sarawak.

On Jan. 13, Petronas incorporated a new company, Petronas LNG 9 Sdn. Bhd., to manage the project.

The 3.6 million tonne/year train will bring total liquefaction capacity there to 24 million tpy. Train 9 will use Air Products’ (APCI) Split MR liquefaction process technology, GE said.

Under a $150 million contract, GE is providing a full package for Train 9, including GE Oil & Gas turbocompression equipment and variable-speed drive systems from GE’s Power Conversion business.

The scope of GE’s supply includes a low/medium-pressure mixed-refrigerant package and a propane and high-pressure mixed-refrigerant package, each driven by a Frame 7EA gas turbine with a 13-Mw induction motor running at 3,600 rpm and VSI technology variable-speed drive systems.

In March, Petronas awarded the contract for front-end engineering and design (FEED) for the project to JGC Corp. and to a partnership of Chiyoda Corp. and Saipem SPA.

The contract, awarded under a dual-FEED scheme, will see the two contractors compete in the FEED and in the engineering, procurement, and construction price proposal for the project. The FEED will be completed in December when the winner will be awarded the project’s engineering, procurement, construction, and commissioning contract.

Petronas said the required feed gas of up to 850 MMscfd will be supplied by various fields off Sarawak. Target final investment decision is first-quarter 2013 with commissioning by fourth-quarter 2015.

Upon completion, Train 9 will include gas receiving, acid-gas removal, dehydration and mercury removal, fractionation and liquefaction, LNG rundown, and all associated utilities. LNG produced from the new train will be exported via existing storage and loading within the complex.

Contact Warren R. True at [email protected].