The world’s first project to convert coal-seam gas into liquefied natural gas to go live in 2014
Gas powered generation will increasingly take the role of providing the flexibility to complement variable renewable energies, according to IEA
A couple of days ago, ABB announced a service maintenance contract with QGC, two years after providing the entire automation, safety and telecommunication systems for the upstream coal-seam gas project. The new agreement is to provide comprehensive services including an on-site team to maintain ABB’s Extended Automation System 800xA Integrated Control and Safety Systems (ICSS). The contract also covers spare parts management for QCLNG’s upstream collection and transportation facility as well as for the midstream potential liquefaction and export facility.
By servicing the entire automation, safety and telecommunication systems for the upstream coal-seam gas project, we’re playing an important role in a hugely significant energy project (the world’s first in fact) and we continue as an integrated service solutions partner contributing to energy savings and cost reductions for our customer.
According to the International Energy Agency (World Energy Outlook 2013), natural gas will remain important to the global energy system, both in terms of energy security and decreasing CO2 emissions as it has the lowest carbon emissions of all fossil fuels. In 2012, natural gas accounted for 22 percent of the world’s energy consumption and the demand the clean-burning and efficient fuel is predicted to grow by almost 50 percent through 2035.
Coal seam gas is a type of unconventional natural gas found in coal seam deposits, which is mostly composed of methane and is plentiful in Australia. From 2014, and for the first time, coal seam gas will be converted to liquefied natural gas. The project, based in Queensland, Australia, will enable the transportation of gas off the mainland to Curtis Island thus allowing the fuel to be transported economically around the world to where it is needed.
Graphic from APPEA
Sustainability supported by long-term service
I’m proud that we will continue to contribute as a partner to QGC in the coming years. Over the past few years, ABB has demonstrated how integrated service has become a key component of the energy value chain. Reliable automation systems, integrated with a wide range of added value services, are critical to address long-term environmental and production performance requirements.
The goal of service is to reduce unscheduled down time and improve production and quality. Service helps to protect and optimize industrial assets through predictive, preventive and corrective maintenance, thereby ensuring that investments are protected and asset performance is maintained at the highest level.
When industrials agree on a long-term service agreement (LTSA), they find one of the most efficient ways to manage the life cycle needs of their equipment and reduce the cost of maintaining it over time. An LTSA combines one or more service products in a simple agreement that is customized to meet site-specific requirements for preventive, predictive and corrective maintenance. It also complements in-house resources and provides with the expertise, skills and support to ensure that asset performance is continuously maintained at the optimal level.
This approach can actively contribute to make business more sustainable and in this case, help to support the transition to more carbon efficient fuels which are very important for our future. Gas powered generation will increasingly take the role of providing the flexibility to complement variable renewable energies and serve as peak-load power to balance generation and demand fluctuations.
For an update on the project take a look at the video below:
Project update November 2013 from QGC – A BG Group business on Vimeo.