Installation of two inlet heaters for gas drying technology at PZP Dambořice
MND Gas Storage experienced a difficult period in 2023, due to the termination of a long-term storage contract, the non-performance of contractual obligations by the gas storage provider Gazprom Export and the subsequent uncertainty in the accelerated sale of unexpectedly vacant underground gas storage (UGS) capacity. On top of all the commercial problems, technical ones were added to the mix, and after testing the silica gel drying system, not all design parameters were achieved. The company needed additional capital to invest in feed heaters and to fine-tune the entire drying technology. At this stage, the company's share capital was increased and the subscription for new shares provided the necessary capital for the project.
The project was agreed and ready in the autumn of 2023. It was successfully implemented in 12 months. This article describes the technical aspects of the project, its pitfalls, but also the successful completion, for which I would like to thank the project manager and his entire team.
Pavel Marek
Chairman of the Board MND GS
Inlet Heaters Project
In the autumn 2021 issue of MND Report we informed you about the successful completion of the project for the installation of natural gas SPU (silica gel drying) units at the Dambořice PZP.
The operating experience with this line is very good, the resulting dew point of hydrocarbons after passing natural gas through silica gel is excellent - we reach up to -40°C. Gas entering the SPU must meet two basic parameters - inlet gas pressure in the range of 50-70 barg (relative pressure value to the ambient atmospheric pressure) and gas temperature higher than 2°C.
The maximum pressure entering the technology from the bed is around 160 barg, which means that this pressure must be reduced to the required SPU value. A side effect of the pressure reduction is a dramatic reduction in gas temperature of up to 30°C. With this high pressure and a technology inlet gas temperature of 24°C-28°C, we did not achieve an inlet gas temperature for silica gel drying higher than 2°C. For this reason, it was not possible to use the SPUs in the entire active charge range of the PZP.
In order to solve this shortcoming and to increase the reliability and flexibility of the entire PZP, we decided to launch the "Inlet heaters Installation" project. The objective of the project was clear - to resolve the complications with the natural gas drying at the Dambořice PZP by installing inlet heaters for the gas in the drying units and preheating this gas to a temperature of up to 34°C, allowing us to operate silica gel drying across the entire pressure range of the PZP. The project was approved by the shareholder in July 2023 with an ambitious commissioning date of 31 October 2024.
Two aspects were already critical to meeting the deadline in the first phase of the project - applying for planning permission by the end of 2023 and securing a supplier for the heaters themselves. The tender for the design work and the boiler supplier therefore started immediately. Bilfinger Tebodin was chosen for the design work and Otto Klein, a German company with many years of experience in this sector, was selected as the boiler supplier.
Work on the complete project documentation began immediately. The first fruits of our hard work were reaped on 16 January 2024, when we received the building permit for the project. This was followed by the selection of the contractor for the technological and electronic parts of the project. BellGass and Art-Ex were finally selected for these segments.
The actual implementation started in June 2024. During the implementation of the construction part of the project, the first indications emerged that the boilers would not be delivered according to the set schedule. This information was later confirmed and we had to take immediate action to minimise delays to the project. Intensive pre-production of the mechanical part began so that as many pipe branches as possible were ready and "just" connected in place when the boilers were delivered. The first boiler was delivered to the PZP on 16 September 2024, and the second on 30 September 2024, which posed a huge challenge for us - to complete all the installation work (mechanical and electrical) and commission both boilers in 45 and 31 days respectively.
This was followed by many very long working days, including weekends, which were really demanding for everyone involved. However, this enormous effort finally bore fruit and the first boiler was commissioned on 23 October 2024. Immediately after the start of operation, a 72-hour reliability and performance test followed. The boiler was tested at various flow rates from minimum to maximum, with excellent results - with an inlet pressure of 157,154 barg and a maximum flow rate of 166,000 Sm3/h, we had not the slightest problem in achieving temperatures above +2°C after pressure reduction as the main condition for silica gel drying operation. For the second boiler, the 72-hour test and performance test started on 29 October. Again, we tested the boiler at different flow rates and this boiler also achieved excellent results even at maximum flow rates.
Despite the very ambitious deadline and the difficulties in delivering the boilers, we managed to complete the project successfully, on time and also within the pre-established budget. The project budget of CZK 55 million was met with a margin of almost five million.
In conclusion, I would like to thank all project participants and especially the entire PZP crew for a job very well done, without which the project deadline could not have been met.
Jiří Št'avík
project manager
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