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Contract awarded for Oman LNG debottlenecking

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US-based technology and professional services giant KBR Inc has announced that it has secured a contract to support the debottlenecking of Oman LNG’s gas liquefaction complex at Sur — a strategic initiative that will contribute to a notable uptick in the plant’s LNG capacity and as well as extend its operational life.


The contract calls for the provision of Front-End Engineering Design (FEED) services, alongside licensor and vendor management services associated with the debottlenecking of the three-train liquefaction complex.


In a statement, KBR said it will act as an extension to Oman LNG’s project team and help manage the overall execution of the project including the management of the supply and ensure all areas of compliance and safety are adhered to.


“The contract underpins Oman LNG’s robust commitment towards knowledge sharing and boosting staff competency in dealing with such complex projects, while enhancing Oman LNG’s enriched In-Country Value (ICV) efforts,”


the company said.


Jay Ibrahim, KBR President, Energy Solutions – Services, stated: “We are excited to be a part of this important project and to continue to grow and maintain our presence in Oman. This indicates KBR’s strategic commitment to deliver our differentiated services and develop our presence and long term commitment to Oman, support its in-country value initiatives and to develop a highly skilled in-country engineering capability.”


LNG production from the Sur complex soared, for the first time in the project’s nearly 20-year operational history, to 10.4 million tonne in 2018, corresponding to its nameplate capacity.


This follows the supply of additional natural gas from BP Oman’s Khazzan field in Block 61 enabling the operation of the three-train plant to full capacity for the first time.


The plant, given its strategic importance to the Omani economy in terms of the substantial revenue it brings via LNG exports, has been the subject of a landmark debottlenecking and rejuvenation programme, of late.


In March, the Ministry of Oil and Gas announced that Oman LNG is exploring a modest upgrade, in addition to a major bottlenecking exercise designed to lift the plant’s overall output to its nameplate capacity or thereabouts.


Salim bin Nasser al Aufi, Under-Secretary of the Ministry of Oil and Gas, stated: “In terms of an expansion, we are considering initially a debottlenecking – just to remove any potential bottlenecks in the system so we can operate at its original nameplate capacity or slightly higher, subject to the availability of additional gas. We are also considering a small expansion within the three trains. At the moment there is no plan to add an extra train.”


According to earlier media reports, the proposed debottlenecking exercise coupled with the upgrade could potentially boost output by 1.5 million tonnes per year (tpy). Debottlenecking is defined as the process of pinpointing specific areas in plant equipment or the workflow configuration that limits the flow of product in any refining or petrochemical plant. By optimising plant operations, overall capacity can be ramped up.


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