Teesside GasPort World s first dockside high pressure gas offloading facility for Energy Bridge Regasification Vessels (EBRV)
Teesside GasPort Design and Construction of the world s first dockside high pressure gas offloading facility for Energy Bridge Regasification Vessels (EBRV) Client: Excelerate Energy LLC Main Contractor: Murphy Pipelines Limited Designers: Mouchel Parkman Services Ltd Operator: PX (TGPP) limited Programme: February 2006 December 2006 First Gas Transfer: February 2007 Contract: NEC Option C Ship moves dockside. Scheme Located at Teesport on the river Tees near Middlesbrough in Northern England, the Teesside GasPort is the world s first dockside offloading facility for regasified LNG and the second operational LNG importation facility in the UK. Built to accommodate the proprietary technology of Excelerate Energy s specialised Energy Bridge Regasification Vessel fleet, the GasPort required less land-based infrastructure than conventional onshore terminals. As a result, the project took less than a year to design, permit and construct for 40 million; one-tenth the cost of a traditional onshore terminal. The project allows the regasification vessel to revaporise to gas onboard the ships and offload high pressure gas through a specially designed offloading arm, across a jetty and into a pipeline. This delivers the gas into the National Transmission System at the Teesside Gas Processing Plant operated by PX (TGPP) Limited for distribution and consumption across the UK. It was achieved with minimal onshore infrastructure and shorter lead times. With service commencing February 2007, the Teesside GasPort allows Excelerate Energy to deliver at peak rates of up to 600 million cubic feet of natural gas per day into the UK market. It is capable of initially importing up to four LNG cargoes per month, each of which contains the equivalent of approximately three billion cubic feet of natural gas. The pipeline route. This historic project confirms the unique ability of Excelerate Energy s ship regasification technology to quickly and costeffectively create new market access for LNG supplies, said Kathleen Eisbrenner, President and CEO of Excelerate Energy. Dockside regasification is a milestone for the LNG industry, opening new market possibilities and options.
Offloading arm. Scope of Work Utilising a disused Shell jetty with a history of receiving large vessels, Murphy s design brings Excelerate s Energy Bridge regasification vessels (EBRVs) alongside, where a shore mounted high-pressure gas unloading arm connects to the mid ship manifold and accepts delivery of high pressure natural gas. A small above ground installation provides pressure control, metering and nitrogen blending. Jetty construction. The existing jetty required a considerable amount of concrete reinforcement, bridge decking, rebuilding and refurbishment. The design also had to be significantly modified to accommodate the high-pressure gas offloading arm being located onto the jetty rather than on the vessels. To facilitate the loading arm the existing bridge columns had to be strengthened to take nine no. 43 tonne concrete beams to bridge between the existing caissons as a base for the new tower for the loading arm. The tower had to be constructed 10 metres above quay level so it could connect up to the mid ship manifold. With the jetty being some 70 metres from land to carry out the refurbishment and modifications, materials were lifted onto the jetty from the shore using a 500 tonne and also a 1,000 tonne crane to meet the timescales required whilst the approach to the jetty was upgraded to hold 20 tonnes. In addition to refurbishing the jetty, Murphy constructed a 600mm diameter high-pressure gas pipeline link to connect into the National Gas Transmission System at the PX Gas Processing Plant. The route of the six kilometre pipeline involved crossing a number of existing major pipelines, including the 1mn b/d Ecofisk crude oil pipeline, the CATS gas pipeline and Teesside Power s gas pipeline that supplies gas to the largest combined cycle gas turbine plant in the UK. The construction of the six kilometre of 600mm pipe involved a one kilometre Horizontal Directional Drill (HDD) crossing of the River Tees and two kilometres of pipelaying next to Seal Sands, a recognised Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI). Murphy connected the pipeline to the NTS grid connection point at PX s Teesside Gas Processing Plant as part of the preparatory works. Finally an additional 3.2 kilometres of 200mm diameter pipeline connects to a nearby BOC nitrogen plant. HDD pull.
Onshore facility. Programme Close collaboration between the client, contractor, designer, operator, specialists and other stakeholders meant the project was completed in record time twelve months from concept to completion and four months after planning permission was granted. The first ship, Excelsior, landed 20th February 2007, less than 18 months after the concept of offloading regasified LNG to the UK was first thought of by Excelerate. Key dates: First briefing regarding GasPort: 20th February 2006 Planning application submitted: 1st June 2006 Detailed Design and Construct Contract signed: 30th June 2006 PX terminal tie-in pipework (shutdown period): 29th July 3rd August Jetty work commences: 15th August 2006 Contract mechanical completion date: 31st December 2006 Planning and Advanced Works With the project s tight timescales, it was crucial that Murphy planned and programmed both the design and construction in detail to mitigate any risk of delay. In preparing the planning application with the client, Murphy and Mouchel Parkman consulted with over 100 stakeholders including utility owners, landowners, environmentalists, as well as electricity, gas, water and oil suppliers. Two applications were submitted; one to Stockton-on-Tees Borough Council and one to Redcar and Cleveland Borough Council which govern both sides of the River Tees. In order to secure the end date, and even before the detailed design was complete, large amounts of materials were specified and procured in advance. As a result pipe that was procured in advance for the Horizontal Directional Drill crossing of the River Tees was then re-allocated and made available for the construction of the SSSI section of the high-pressure pipeline on the Western Shore to meet the specified environmental constraint of the 1st November installation deadline. Whilst the HDD pipe had been diverted, the team pushed ahead with the HDD early so that the pilot drill hole could be proved in preparation for reaming out to the correct diameter, ready for when the new line pipe was available. The Horizontal Directional Drill was carried out 30m below the sea bed and just six metres away from critical existing nitrogen and oxygen lines. The tie-in to the PX terminal on the Western Shore had to be undertaken during a scheduled shutdown period between 29th July and 3rd August. This tie-in was critical as it would later be required to allow delivery of gas into the National Grid and had to be undertaken in advance of the planning permission being granted and the main works undertaken. There were five pipe jacks along the route plus the Grundoram method which was utilised to install 24m of the 600mm pipeline underneath an existing pipe bridge owned by ConocoPhillips. The remainder of pipe was installed using traditional open cut pipe-laying methods with some sections requiring de-watering prior to trench excavation.
Pipelaying in progress. Conclusion More than 300 people were employed on the project at its peak and over 100 parties involved with the project s successful delivery a testament to the commitment and successful collaboration of all those involved. The key to the successful delivery was the ability to change proposed construction methods and planned order for executing the works to meet the requirements and constraints of the client and other stakeholders. Murphy s experience of managing third party interfaces gained the respect and cooperation of all stakeholders essential for the project s success. Because of the compressed programme and high level of activity the management of logistics and relationships were of particular importance. Careful selection of experienced sub-contractors with proven track records for delivery was also an important factor in delivering the project on time. This was a unique and groundbreaking project the first of its kind in the UK the majority of which was completed in just four short months once planning permission was granted. The project demonstrates Murphy s expertise in the gas sector and ability to manage the project s complexities within a compressed timescale; justifying the company s reputation for delivering projects on time whatever the obstacles. Pipejack crossing. Jetty construction.
Pic credit Ian Clowes, goldysolutions.co.uk Mike Leaky of Natural England and Sal Lack of Murphy in the bird hide, with Joe Haw outside the hide; Murphy s joiner who did the refurbishment. ENVIRONMENTAL ASPECTS The environmental aspects of the scheme required close, sometimes weekly liaison with the Environment Agency and Natural England to ensure the works were controlled. DEFRA was also consulted on a number of issues. Murphy refurbished a bird hide at Seal Sands for Natural England and a commemorative brass plaque was presented for display. Vince Braniff (second from left) receiving The Manager of the Year award. Double Award Winning Project At the 2007 Gas Industry Awards promoted by the Society of British Gas Industries and Institute of Gas Engineers and Managers, the GasPort project was a double award winner. Project manager Vince Braniff was awarded Manager of the Year, following his successful management of the design and construction of the LNG GasPort reception facility. The second honour for Innovation of the Year went to Excelerate Energy, Murphy Pipelines, Mouchel Parkman and PX Ltd. The judges were impressed by the demonstration of innovation in technology, design and collaborative working with impressive results, as well as the project being the world s first dockside regasification port which was completed in record time. Supply Chain Partners: Design and engineering services Mouchel Parkman Services Ltd Controls and instrumentation Design Technica Projects Ltd Engineering Support Pipeline Integrity Engineers Ltd Design and engineering services Optimus Services Ltd Dynamic modelling of pipeline route TSC Simulation Pressure Control Skid & Fire deluge system Systems Integration Limited Distribution Control System Foxboro Invensis Fire & Gas System Hima Sella Dynamic modelling of pipeline route TSC Simulation Horizontal Directional Drill Stockton Drilling Re-gas metering Skid, fiscal metering skid, gas analysers Emerson Daniel London Cannock Dinnington Golborne Paisley Dublin Hiview House, Highgate Road, London NW5 1TN. Tel: 020 7267 4366 Fax: 020 7482 3107 Email: info@murphygroup.co.uk Website: www.murphygroup.co.uk C i v i l E n g i n e e r i n g B u i l d i n g P i p e l i n e s T u n n e l l i n g M u l t i U t i l i t i e s