Construction on the Shell-led LNG Canada export project in Kitimat continues to progress despite disruptions caused by the Covid-19 pandemic.
Three towering pieces of equipment critical to the gas liquefaction process have recently arrived at the site in Kitimat, as part of the project’s “going vertical” stage, LNG Canada said in a update.
LNG Canada crews spent the week of June 7th carefully offloading a 345-tonne main cryogenic heat exchanger and two precooler units, which weigh 308 tonnes and 284 tonnes respectively, it said.
The equipment arrived on board a cargo ship that docked at the LNG Canada project’s new material offloading facility (MOF) in Kitimat Harbour.
Moreover, crews then placed the equipment on large, self-propelled modular transporters, which would slowly move the pieces along the project site’s new three-kilometre-long haul road to the main construction area, LNG Canada said.
The largest of the three new pieces of equipment, the heat exchanger is approximately 50 metres in length. Once installed vertically, it will be among the most visible components at the LNG Canada facility.
In addition, this is the first of two units Linde built for the LNG Canada project while the second heat exchanger should arrive later this year, along with two more precoolers, LNG Canada said.
“Significant milestone”
“Taking delivery of our first main cryogenic heat exchanger and precoolers is another significant milestone for the LNG Canada project, and represents a number of firsts for us,” said LNG Canada CEO Peter Zebedee.
“It’s our first opportunity to receive critical infrastructure at our new material offloading facility, and our first heavy equipment transport along our new haul road to our main construction site,” Zebedee said.
To remind, Shell’s CEO Ben van Beurden said earlier this year that LNG Canada was slightly behind with construction works due to disruptions caused by the Covid-19 pandemic.
The CEO did not provide any additional information regarding the delays, but LNG Canada said last year these would not affect the first LNG shipment expected in the middle of the decade.
Besides Shell, LNG Canada partners include Malaysia’s Petronas, PetroChina, Japan’s Mitsubishi Corporation and South Korea’s Kogas.
The giant project, worth more than $30 billion, includes the construction of 14 million tonnes per annum (mtpa) export capacity from the first two trains, with the potential to expand to four trains in the future.
