Liquefied natural gas (LNG) production facilities require rugged, reliable valves for safe, efficient, and sustainable operations. It’s also critical to reduce complexity and use the right valves for the application across the facility’s lifecycle, from initial engineering through construction, commissioning, operations, and ongoing maintenance.
Emerson’s
Andrea Sutti and
Massimiliano Franco join me in the Emerson Automation Experts podcast to discuss the role of these critical valves and actuators in the world’s largest LNG project. They share the importance of selecting and testing the actuated valves to meet the requirements of safety, isolation and control applications.
Give the podcast a listen and visit the
Valves, Actuators and Regulators for the Entire LNG Value Chain section on Emerson.com.
Transcript
Jim: Hi, everyone. I'm Jim Cahill, and this is another Emerson Automation Experts podcast. Today we're on another episode in a four-part series that explores the role of control technologies in helping drive efficient and reliable LNG production. Emerson's valves, regulators, and actuators empower the entire LNG value chain from the liquefaction process to transport and terminals, and from project startup and commissioning to long-term facility operations and maintenance. Today I'm joined by Andrea Sutti and Massimiliano Franco to discuss a successful installation, commissioning, and operations of a massive Middle East LNG facility. Welcome, gentlemen. Let's begin by having you introduce yourselves.
Andrea: Hi, Jim, and thank you for this opportunity. Hi, everyone. My name is Andrea Sutti. I'm the Global Product Manager for Vanessa Triple Offset Valves.
Max: Hello to all of you. My name is Massimiliano Franco. I'm working for Biffi, a plant located in Italy. I'm responsible for the actuators in the actuation technologies SBU.
Jim: Well, with that great background, that'll really help in our discussion today. So Andrea, let me start with you. Can you give us an overview of this massive LNG project in the Middle East?
Andrea: Yes. We are talking about the largest LNG plant to date. It is located in the Middle East, consisting in four mega-trains of LNG production. Each of them has the capacity of 8 million tons of LNG per year, a gigantic installation that is made even bigger by the fact that, differently from the conventional LNG facilities, this one also includes the gas treatment plant being located nearby the gas field. And by the way, there is also plan for further expansion adding two more production mega-trains.
Jim: Wow. It's big already and about to get a lot bigger. That's very impressive. Can you tell us some of the key challenges that this customer was facing in building this massive LNG facility?
Andrea: The customer challenges are reflecting the overall challenges of the entire LNG industry. We know the importance of the LNG for the global energy supply and the importance of the LNG as a key transitional greener fuel for the journey to net zero. All elements that put the LNG industry under the spotlight in terms of production capacity, efficiency, and reduced impact on the environment. All challenges that are reflected into demanding requirements for all the equipment and the components that are part of the LNG facility, among which the actuated valves play a very important role.
Max: Yes. Thank you, Andrea. Regarding the actuators in front of the customer, the responsibility to guarantee the performance and the delivery is a key factor.
