North West Shelf to reduce air emissions
Posted: 30 January 2004
The North West Shelf Venture will install new technology worth
more than A$32 million as part of its strategy to reduce air emissions
from its onshore gas plant at Karratha in Western Australia.
The technology changes will result in emission reductions, including
oxides of nitrogen (NOx), benzene, toluene and xylene (BTX), greenhouse
gases and hydrocarbons.
The Venture will install new, state-of-the-art equipment which
will change the carbon dioxide absorption process on its existing
three LNG processing units in 2004-05, at a cost of more than A$26
million. This will include modifying similar processing systems
on its fourth LNG train, which is due for start up in mid-2004.
A further technology improvement – to enhance the combustion
of fuel gases in the plant’s existing 25 gas turbines –
will cost more than A$6 million.
These combined improvements are expected to reduce NOx emissions
from the plant by 25 per cent and BTX by up to 75 per cent.
It will also result in a greenhouse gas emission reduction of 350,000
tonnes a year from the facility.
The North West Shelf Venture’s Chief Executive, Steve Ollerearnshaw,
said the Venture had extensively reviewed its air emissions and
reduction options and aimed to move beyond regulatory compliance
in line with community expectations.
“These measures are part of the North West Shelf Venture’s
commitment to continuous improvement and are being implemented even
though emissions from the plant are well within international guidelines
and operating licence conditions,” he said.
“These significant reductions will be achieved by changing
the process that removes carbon dioxide from natural gas during
LNG production.
“This will involve switching to a new carbon dioxide absorption
process which will recover an additional 80,000 tonnes of hydrocarbons
that would otherwise have been discharged to the atmosphere.
“The Venture will also modify its 25 gas turbines on site
which will result in cleaner burning of fuel gases and a subsequent
reduction in the NOx emissions from the plant.”
Mr Ollerearnshaw said the Venture’s greenhouse gas emissions
had been reduced by 500,000 tonnes a year since 2001 through a variety
of projects.
”The plant has also reduced gas flaring over the past year
by 50 per cent and is currently undertaking a major ambient air
monitoring program around Karratha and Dampier,” he said.
The results of the 12-month monitoring program, which will conclude
in late 2004, will be reported to regulatory authorities.
The six equal participants in the North West Shelf Venture are:
Woodside Energy Ltd. (operator); BHP Billiton Petroleum (North West
Shelf) Pty Ltd; BP Developments Australia Pty Ltd; ChevronTexaco
Australia Pty Ltd; Japan Australia LNG (MIMI) Pty Ltd; and Shell
Development (Australia) Proprietary Limited.
For more information see www.woodside.com.au
Posted by Richard Price,
Editor Pipeline Magazine
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