Energas supplies mobile heater skid for commissioning of natural gas pipeline - March 2017

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Energas supplies mobile heater skid for commissioning of natural gas pipeline
March 2017, News

Energas Technologies has completed a commission by VGI Consulting Africa, on behalf of Sasol Group Technology, to design and supply a mobile heater skid to a budgeted $210 M pipeline expansion project. The additional 128 km of pipeline sees an increase in transport capacity of high pressure natural gas between Mozambique and South Africa.

The existing 865 km Mozambique Secunda Pipeline (MSP) is currently the only sustainable source of natural gas supply to South Africa, and, in order to meet the demand for increased consumption, the transport capacity of this line was significantly increased. In order to facilitate this, a combination of compressors and parallel lines – approximately 128 km per section – had to be built.

With the backing of a successful first project, Loop Line 1 (LL1), Sasol Group Technology appointed VGI Consulting Africa as the EPCM contractor for LL2.

For the commissioning of LL2, the new line had to be filled and pressurised to 116 bar. The filling gas had to be preheated to ensure the temperature did not drop below the pipeline minimum design metal temperature. This called for the design, manufacture and supply of a transportable skid-mounted electrical gas heater with flow control in accordance with ASME 31.8, ASME VIII and SANS 10108. Design, fabrication, complete assembly and testing of the heater skid were done in South Africa before delivery to site in Mozambique.

Laetitia Botha, Energas Technologies’ product engineer comments, “Energas specialises in the design, manufacturing and supply of skid-mounted pressure reduction and metering stations to the natural gas industry. Most of these skids are for sites in remote areas and being able to complete the fabrication and assembly in South Africa reduces schedule risk, site establishment and workforce logistics significantly. Another benefit of the mobile heater skid is that it can be relocated and used at different site points or locations as the new pipeline sections were being constructed. It’s a cost-effective solution that can be relocated as and when needed.

“The natural gas industry in Africa is growing and has a bright future ahead. We have directly felt the effects of this growth in the range of skid manufacturing projects on the go in Ghana, the Western Cape and now Mozambique.”

For more information contact Laetitia Botha, Energas Technologies, +27 (0)11 397 6809, laetitia@energas.co.za, www.energas.co.za

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