Canadian Arctic LNG pilot project detailed

A discussion covers Petro-Canada Ltd.'s and Alberta Gas Trunk Line Co. Ltd.'s Melville Island LNG pilot project covers the proposed shipping route from Bridport Inlet to an east coast terminal; the severe environmental conditions, e.g., the strong winds (as high as 75 mph); ice conditions in Bridport Inlet; estimates of gas reserves which now total 12.8 trillion cu ft of likely marketable gas, including 5.4 trillion cu ft in the Drake field; drilling and gas-gathering plans for Drake field; the planned 275 million cu ft/day, 100 mi, 22 in. pipeline from Drake Point to Bridport Inlet; considerations for building the barge-mounted terminal on the shore of Bridport Inlet; the liquefaction plant which will have a 250 million cu ft/day output and will be designed to operate 345 days/yr; use of cooling water effluent from the LNG plant to reduce ice thickness in the berthing area; possible design of the 200,000 cu m LNG storage area; and the icebreaking LNG carriers which operate year-round and whose design will be based on a computer-simulation program.