The tallest structure at the PNG LNG Plant site outside Port Moresby was hoisted into place recently. Staff of Chiyoda JGE Joint Venture working with their subcontractors including Daewoo and Nippon Express installed the Main Cryogenic Heat Exchanger which stands at 54 metres tall.
The heat exchanger was loaded at Motukea Island and arrived at the PNG LNG site 4 hours later (a trip normally done in 20 minutes) moving at 5 kilometres an hour. The load had a series of stops along the route to check load security and transporter condition.
The Main Cryogenic Heat Exchanger is the heart of the LNG plant and is where natural gas will be liquefied and sub-cooled. Warm gas will enter the bottom of the exchanger tube and will exit at the top in a sub-cooled liquid state. The Main Cryogenic Heat Exchanger will convert gas temperatures to minus 160 degrees Celsius. This liquefied gas will then be shipped to overseas markets in tankers.
Esso Highlands Limited, the operator of the PNG LNG Project will begin exporting to markets in Asia in 2014. Gas will be transported from the Southern Highlands via a 700 kilometre pipeline.
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LNG World News Staff, April 17, 2012; Image: PNG LNG