LPG-RECOVERY PROCESSES FOR BASELOAD LNG PLANTS EXAMINED

With demand on the rise, LPG produced from a baseload LNG plant becomes more attractive as a revenue-earning product similar to LNG. Efficient use of gas expanders in baseload LNG plants for LPG production therefore becomes more important. Several process variations for LPG recovery in baseload LNG plants are reviewed here. Energy analysis (based on the Second Law of Thermodynamics) is applied to three cases to compare energy efficiency resulting from integration with the main liquefaction process. Process-design considerations of various degrees of LPG extraction need to be investigated not only for the new grassroots baseload LNG plants but also for the debottlenecking and revamping of existing baseload LNG plants.