The paper focuses on recent experience in using Syntroleum air-based gas-to-liquids (GTL) technology in developing commercial designs for mobile/offshore GTL applications. Recent concept developments, commercial applications and experience from a current FPSO study are discussed.The paper also covers the considerable challenges for successful implementation of mobile GTL to access remote stranded gas.To meet such challenges, AMEC brings a strong track record in offshore engineering and onshore plant design together with Syntroleum experience gained in constructing and operating a GTL facility. The latest Syntroleum concepts include a barge for swamp and coastal locations and a ship-shaped vessel for offshore. Commercial design and implementation of these concepts are currently being examined, which includes an ongoing joint FPSO study by Syntroleum and Bluewater Energy Services B.V. Advantages of the Syntroleum GTL technology for this application include scalability and safety. Typical maximum GTL plant size is 15-20,000 barrels per day (bpd) of liquid products (around 200 MMSCFD of feed gas), limited by vessel constraints. Over the past few years, concepts have been developed for first generation offshore GTL plant that focus on: 1. Using GTL as an enabling technology for production from marginal oil or gas fields, which improves economics and lowers project risk. 2. Optimising plant design and purpose-built vessels for specific applications rather than a "one size fits all" approach. Recent experience from the current Syntroleum - Bluewater GTL FPSO study (14+ months duration) is showing that the GTL plant is a promising enabler for combined oil and gas production. With a combined production capacity of up to 70,000 bpd, the topsides design gives a working solution within a conventional FPSO-hull design and fabrication that has a storage capacity for up to two million barrels of oil.
展开▼
