World's Largest Train for LNG Production
FLORENCE, ITALY (February 25, 2004) --- GE Energy has been awarded a contract of approximately US$200 million by Qatar Petroleum and ExxonMobil to supply three turbo compressor strings for main refrigerant duty in the Qatargas II LNG Expansion Project. Qatargas II, the world's largest liquefied natural gas (LNG) project, will also feature the world's largest trains for LNG production. Qatar Petroleum owns 70% of the project and ExxonMobil 30%.
Located in Qatar, Ras Laffan Industrial City, each Qatargas II liquefaction train will be rated for an annual capacity of approximately 7.8 million tons. The project will utilize the new AP-XÔ liquefaction process from Air Products & Chemicals, Inc. Startup of the first train is planned for the winter of 2007.
GE Energy is supplying three MS9001E gas turbine-driven compression strings with low emissions capability. It will be the first application of these units in LNG refrigeration service. Each string also will feature large electric motor/generators with variable frequency drives, supplied by ASIRobicon, for start up/helper and power generation purposes. The scope of the GE contract also includes full-load string testing and spare parts.
The gas turbines will be manufactured at GE facilities in Belfort, France and tested and packaged at GE's Massa, Italy plant for shipment to the Ras Laffan site. The centrifugal compressors will be manufactured and assembled at GE's Florence and Massa workshops. Shipment of the units will begin in November of 2005.
"This project, with the world's largest single LNG train capacity, represents a fundamental milestone for the LNG industry and for our company, " said Claudi Santiago, president of GE Energy's oil and gas operations. "It sets a new standard of economy of scale with unprecedented benefits for LNG production in the state of Qatar."
The Qatargas II project, which also includes an offshore development, large capacity ships and a re-gasification terminal, will supply the United Kingdom market with LNG.
GE Energy's oil and gas operations are based in Florence, Italy, the home of Nuovo Pignone, a long-time global leader in gas compression and turbo generation products.
About GE Energy
Sara Hassett
GE Oil & Gas
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