April 2010 Vol. 237 No. 4
Projects
Worlds First Gravity-Based LNG Terminal Supplies Gas To Italy
In October 2009, Adriatic LNG placed the world’s first gravity–based LNG terminal into service. Adriatic LNG is a joint venture between Qatar Terminal Limited (45%), a 100%-owned Qatar Petroleum subsidiary, ExxonMobil Italiana Gas (45%) and Edison SpA (10%).
The terminal is located off Porto Levante, in the northern Adriatic Sea, nine miles off the Veneto coastline where it sets on the seafloor in 98 feet of water. It is connected to Italy’s national network of gas distribution by a new pipeline.
The offshore terminal is designed around a large concrete structure which houses two LNG tanks with a combined capacity of 8 Bcm. It includes a regasification plant and facilities for mooring and unloading LNG vessels. It has an overall length of 375 meters and width of 115 meters. The main deck is 18 meters above sea level, with the top of the flare tower rising 87 meters above sea level.
Nearing full operational capacity, the Adriatic LNG Terminal will be able to deliver 775 MMcf/d of natural gas, or 10% Italy’s natural gas requirements.
Eighty percent of the capacity will be used to regasify LNG imported from Qatar’s North Field as part of a supply agreement with RasGas II. The remaining 20% is open for third-party access, out of which 12% has been allocated according to procedures defined by the Italian authorities.
The LNG terminal’s operations are powered by three GE10 low-emission gas turbines – two GE10-1 single gas modules and one GE10-1 dual fuel gas turbine, providing a total power output of 30 MW to provide optimum energy efficiency. All three units feature GE’s Dry Low NOx (DLN) combustion system that achieves NOx emissions below 15 parts per million – enabling the mega-terminal to meet the stringent emissions reduction and environmental regulations prescribed by Italian regulators.
The Adriatic LNG operated terminal receives 80% of its gas from the giant North Field off the coast of Qatar, the largest non-associated natural gas field in the world, with estimated recoverable reserves in the range of 900 Tcf. Gas is also received from Egypt and Trinidad. The LNG is regasified at the terminal and then transported to an onshore metering station before it enters Italy’s gas network.
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